Clear eyes, full hearts
by annthetropicalfish
Summary: 'Maybe wearing a cast wasn't so bad after all.His days in a football field were over, but watching the game next to Katniss Everdeen was a million times better...' High-school AU.
1. Chapter 1

_Hello! This i my first fanfic. It's not a Friday Night Lights crossover,but there are a few references to that awesome show.  
_

_Let me know what you think. And I apologize for the mistakes in grammar and spelling. English it's not my first lenguage.  
_

* * *

_Toothpaste. Eggs. Milk. Bread _

Katniss repeated the list in her head looking at the banners hanging from the corridors of the school. The Distric 12 Panthers were only 2 games away from reaching the football final. It was an impressive achievement for the small District 12 because it was the smaller and poorer District of Panem.

The only time the Distric 12 had won the State had been when Katniss' father was the quarterback…

_Toothpaste. Eggs. Milk. Bread _

She shook her head and looked at the door waiting for Prim. What was taking her so long? She needed to go to the grocery store.

''Hey Kat'' a male voice took her out of the mental list. Rory Hawthrone was standing like frozen in place at the sight of her.

''Hey Rory'' Katniss said. He was holding the team's bag and his hair was wet. Before she could ask why he was there, the door opened and Prim stepped out with the quarterback Peeta Mellark. They were laughing at something he was saying

_Why is Prim with him_?

At the sight of Katniss and Rory standing there Prim opened her eyes and her mouth formed a comical O

''Hey Kat, Rory'' Prim greeted them in a quiet voice. There was an awkward silence. ''I forgot to tell you that Rory was picking me up, we are going to Leevy's place''.

''Oh…ok '' Katniss said trying to mask her nuisance. She had been waiting for her for almost an hour and she still had to go to the grocery store and then change for her shift in the sports shop.

''I'm sorry I forgot to tell you'' Prim said,embarrassed, catching her sister mood quickly

''It's ok, really'' Katniss smiled slightly, lifting her shoulders. Prim had that power over her. Katniss looked at Peeta Mellark curiously

''I should go '' Peeta said feeling Katniss' eye on him. He greeted everyone and left walking quickly.

''Do you want me to give you guys a ride? I'm going that way anyway'' Prim nodded and the three of them started walking towards the school's parking lot. Katniss was curious about Prim being alone with Peeta Mellark. Sure, Peeta was the quarterback and Prim was the latest addition to the cheerleaders group, but that wasn't a viable answer, right? She heard Prim chatting with Rory a few step ahead of her. They were going to have a little chat later that night. She had nothing against Peeta Mellark, quite the opposite really.

There was something about that boy. She remembered the day that he punched Cato in the nose to defend her when they were 11 years old.

_'He's not coming back' Katniss was waiting for the bus. Prim was sitting next to her, holding her hand tightly. She was thinking about Biology and how to classify the different types of trees. She could ask her dad…but her dad was dead and he was not coming back, because he was buried several feet under in a mine. Dead. _

_She shook her head to prevent the tears from falling. She realized that Prim was not next to her but was now picking something from the floor. She opened her mouth to say something when Cato (mean, horrible, stupid Cato) walked by. And Prim was on his way _

_''You are on my way'' he said in his stupid voice. Prim just looked at him, remembering what dad used to say: if there were such beautiful words as 'please' and 'thank you' why not use them?_

_ ''Are you stupid? Move!'' Cato yelled.  
_

_Katniss was on her feet in less than a second _

_''Hey! Who do you think you are talking to my sister like that?'' her hands were clenched in fist of rage. _

_''She's on my way, looking at me like an idiot" he sneered and before Katniss could reply a soft voice spoke. _

_''I think you are being rude Cato'' Katniss looked behind Cato and found the baker's son _

_''This is none of your business Mellark'' Cato said turning his back on him ''besides, they're Seam trash, why would you care anyway?'' _

_And again, before Katniss could even blink, the baker's son was punching Cato right in the face, his nose bleeding. And before Cato could punch back she heard the baker's wife. Her voice was cold and menacing. The baker's son was in trouble that was for sure. _

_'' Peeta Mellark!'' She yelled jumping from the car. Prim ran and hid behind Katniss. _

_The next day Peeta Mellark had an angry red bruise in his left cheek. Katniss wanted to say something, but she couldn't find the word or the courage or the moment, really. But she always felt that words were left unsaid between them. _

By the time they reached the old truck the entire parking lot was empty. Katniss started the engine listening to Prim talk about the game, when she noticed Peeta Mellark was waiting for the bus. She knew he had a car. Why was he waiting for the bus?

''Are you going, right? '' Prim asked. Katniss turned her head, looking at Prim and Rory,and realized they were looking at her

''Yeah, sure'' answered Katniss without knowing. Prim smiled. The game. She didn't like going to the football game. Everyone reminded her how wonderful her father was and how he had won State and other great things sport related. But she just missed her dad, not the quarterback.

''Hey Kat, we could give Peeta a ride, right'' Prim asked ''he help me today with some art stuff, so…''

Katniss hesitated but she couldn't say no. She parked right in front of Peeta. He looked up and took out his headphones.

''Yeah, sure'' Katniss answered looking ahead.

Prim rolled down the window

''Wanna a ride? '' Prim asked. Peeta stood up and jogged to meet them.

''Hey! Nah, that's all right'' he said good naturally. Katniss was looking at her nails.

''We're going that way '' Prim insisted. And Katniss looked at him. He couldn't read her expression. At least she wasn't scowling.

''I have to go to the grocery store and the bakery…so'' she said looking at him. He smiled and entered the truck saying thanks.

The ride was spent talking about the game, the game and the game on Friday and Katniss was happy to finally see Leevy's house.

''Thanks for the ride, my dad needed the car'' Peeta explained when he couldn't take the silence anymore. He could make the rocks talk, why it was so difficult with her? _Maybe because you're in love with her_ a voice said in his head.

''Oh, don't worry; I have to go that way'' Katniss said. Peeta cleared his throat. He rolled the wire of his headphones and put them it in the pocket of his hoddie.

''And you need bread'' Peeta said lamely

''Yep'' Katniss was smiling a bit, maybe at his lame attempts to start a conversation.

''How's work?' he asked nervously, clearly intimidated . Katniss shrugged her shoulders.

''Well, the new Panthers t-shirts arrived and we are having a sale on socks…I'm trying to not lose my mind thinking about the hundreds of people looking for socks half their price" she said, looking at him briefly and Peeta laughed out loud.

''Are you going to the game?'' Peeta asked,hopeful. She never went to the games. Or at least he had never seen her and he was an expert at finding her.

''Yeah…Prim is really excited about cheering for the first time and Gale and Madge are going to be there to, so…'' Peeta nodded. He wanted to be part of her reasons to go to the games too ''and there's so much hype around this game that is kind of hard to miss''

Peeta laughed nervously.

''Yeah '' he said running his hand trough his hair

''I can't imagine the pressure'' Katniss said, looking at him briefly again before her eyes went to the road again.

''Yes, well, my scholarship depends on this game, because the Capitol College is coming to see the game and the whole thing with my dad'' Peeta said, sheepishly. Peeta's dad had also been in the team that had won State. It was a big weight on his shoulders to have his name sometimes

''Wow…so, no pressure at all'' Katniss and Peeta laughed and the rest of the ride the silence wasn't so awkward. When they reached the front of the bakery Peeta wanted to stay a few more hours in the truck.

''Thanks for the ride Katniss '' Peeta said again,closing the door. Katniss smiled and waved at him, jogged across the street and entered the grocery store. Living in the Merchant part of the city wasn't so bad after all, he thought, watching the store's door closed.

When he arrived to his house, Peeta only had time to eat a muffin. His mom looked at him and sent him to look after the front of the bakery, because she had other things to do.

Peeta was tired; he just wanted to sleep for a few hours and not think about tomorrow's game. He grabbed a piece of paper and began to draw. It was doodling or fall sleep on the counter.

When the door's bell rang and he groaned but it died on his throat when he saw Katniss.

She was holding the grocery bag and looking at the iced muffins. Peeta greeted her with a smile. He debated with himself about making a joke about her not being able to stay away from him, but that was walking on thin ice.

''Hey. I was thinking in buying a muffin to Prim, you know, for good luck. Could I order one with a primrose on it? '' Katniss asked, walking to the counter, nervously.

''Yeah…sure, I could make it now if you want to '' Peeta was quick in his answer and Katniss looked at him curiously '' I mean, it's just a second, really''

''You make the icing of the muffins and the cakes? '' Katniss asked and Peeta nodded,blushing. He saw Katniss looking at his drawing ''you're really good…''

''Thanks Katniss'' Peeta said. He felt proud about himself. He walked to the kitchen and in less than 15 minutes, with expert hands an evening primrose was on top of the muffin.

''Here you go '' he showed the muffin to Katniss, and she smiled.

''I love it '' Katniss said taking her wallet with her free hand. _And I love you_ thought Peeta wrapping the box.

''How much?'' Katniss asked

''Nothing. Is on the house, wishing Prim good luck as well '' said Peeta waving his hand.

''No, please, I need bread too, so please... '' Katniss took her wallet stubbornly.

"Which one?'' he asked grabbing a brown bag.

''The one with nuts and raisin on it please'' Katniss poited

He was giving her the change when the door's bell chimed and Delly walked in, still wearing her cheerleader uniform. At the sight of Katniss she smiled brightly and winked at Peeta. Of course she knew about Peeta's crush on Katniss.

''Hey Katniss'' Delly greeted. Katniss turned around and smiled briefly ''hey Peet, how are for tomorrow? '' she asked, leaning on the counter.

Peeta shrugged.

''Are you going tomorrow, right Katniss? '' Delly asked smiling. Katniss nodded and Delly's smile got bigger ''that is great, you know we're so happy to have Prim on the team now, she's the best''

Katniss smiled proudly. Her little duck was the best indeed.

''... and the game is going to be great, I mean, my almost brother Peeta here has a great arm'' Delly said, hugging Peeta. He smiled sheepishly and Katniss looked them both a bit confused at Peeta's nervous smile.

''Sure he does, at least at drawing his arm is good '' Katniss was blushing. Delly nodded smiling and Peeta looked at his feet, blushing.

''Hum, I should go, I have to go to work '' Katniss said,nervously.

She grabbed the change, tha bag and the box and left the bakery hastily.

''My almost brother Peeta? What kind of...'' Peeta exploted as soon as the door was closed

''Oh, c`mon Peet, she needs to know that we are friends, that there's nothing going on between us'' Delly answered in a calm,superior voice, explaining that 2+2 equals 4

''Cheer up, she's going tomorrow and if the Panthers win I will personally gonna make sure to make her go to the party after the game''

''Yeah, so I could look at her and not talk to her like I did for the past eleven years...besides she doesn't go to parties'' Peeta said in a defeated voice. Delly shook her head

''I'm telling you, you will end up with Katniss Everdeen, mark my words, you're meant to be together' Delly promised. She really was an optimistic person, though Peeta, hoping that her words came true.

* * *

Katniss parked her truck right across the sport shop. She grabbed her backpack and noticed Peeta Mellark's headphones on the floor of the truck. Tomorrow she would give them back.

Working in Abernathy SportShop was a good deal for her. She worked 4 hours a day during the week and five on Saturdays. With her salary she paid a few bills and the rest went to Prim's college account she had open with her mom without Prim knowing about it.

Her Little Duck wanted it t go to Med School and Katniss would help her go. Prim was a natural at that.

Haymitch, the owner of the sport shop was Katniss' father best friend and also part of the legendary team that had won State that only time. He knew that things were not easy with a nurse salary earned by Katniss' mum , so he paid Katniss quite a lot more that it was necessary. Of course he didn't say a word about this to Katniss; she was just as stubborn as her dad.

'Hey Sweetheart' Haymitch greeted her behind the counter. Katniss waved and went directly to the changing room in the back. She put on her 'Abernathy SportShop' polo shirt and went to the main room. A box with socks was waiting for her to be stocked.

'Put this in the the shell and then go to the warehouse to find the new t-shirts for the Panthers' he said, looking for something behind the counter. Katniss, nodded and began to stock the socks in the shell.

The bell in the door rang and Haymitch greeted a group of people wearing the blue and white colours of the Panthers. Madge Undersee was in Gale's back with her arms around his neck and her legs hanging from the crook of his arms and behind them were Peeta and Delly.

Gale approached Katniss with a giggling Madge on his back.

"Hey Kat" smiled Gale

"Hey, there's something on your back" Katniss smiled, pointing at them with a pair of socks. Madge giggled and jumped from Gale´s back

"Word is that Miss Everdeen is going to the game"Madge said, smiling

'Yeah, well, it's Prim first game cheering"Katniss said shyly ''The new t-shirts arrived today''

Madge and Gale smiled and went to the warehouse to see them. Katniss saw them leave with a bittersweet feeling.

Gale had confessed his love for her a couple of years ago. She loved Gale, he was her almost brother, her first friend, but she couldn't feel more than that. They have shared a few kisses, but it wasn't fair to him. She just didn't feel the same. At first he had been heatbroken, but he understood her. She loved him, but the ways Posy loved him. It had made him sad, angry and a bit emasculated, but he understood her.

Katniss was sure that if she couldn't love someone as loyal, handsome and nice as Gale, then something was clearly wrong with her. It was crazy and stupid logic, she knew that, but it was her logic.

Gale and Madge had hooked up two months after the day that Katniss had say that she didn't felt the same. At first things were really awkward, because Madge was Katniss' only friend. But they moved past that and luckily their relationship didn't suffer. Still Katniss always wondered about the 'what ifs'

''And we meet again Everdeen'' a grave voice made Katniss jump from her thoughts and turned around. Peeta was wearing a black hockey helmet that covered his face. Katniss scowled at him. She wanted to insult him for scaring her and laugh at the same time for his lame Darth Vader impression. Peeta took the helmet and smiled at her sheepishly ''Sorry''

''You scared me, you should be careful'' Katniss motioned to the wall next to the socks where a bow and arrows were perched.

Peeta opened his mouth and the colour left his face

''Just kidding'' Katniss said quickly. Cleary she wasn't the funny one. Peeta smiled brightly. Odd.

''Do you know how to use it?'' Peeta asked , picking the bow and tensing the string. Before Katniss could warn him, he let go the string and whipped himself with it.

''Holy shit'' Peeta yelled. Katniss threw the socks and ran next to Peeta. She took his arm and left the bow in the wall. Delly, Madge and Gale ran quicly towards them.

''Katniss, I told you to stock the socks, not to whipped costumers'' Haymitch said laughing loudly. Katniss frowned, blushing furiosly and dropped Peeta's arm

''I didn't know that I was going to whipped myself, she didn't whipped me'' Peeta explained, rubbing his forearm ''It's nothing really'' he added looking at Katniss, who was blushing. She mumbled something about socks and left them. Peeta frowned.

Madge, Gale and Delly were already leaving to the front of the shop to leave. Delly smiled sadly at him.

Haymitch gave them the t-shirts and they were ready to go, but Peeta had other plans.

''You guys go, I'll be there in a sec'' Peeta jogged to the aisle of socks and found Katniss throwing them in the basket from a few feets away. When she heard him coming she freezed .

''So I'll see you tomorrow at the game, right?'' he asked hopesly

''Yeah, of course'' She said looking at her feet.

''Great! I'll see you tomorrow then'' Peeta said turning around. Katniss watched him leave. He was really broad-shouldered. A red welt was forming on his forearm

''Peeta, wait'' Katniss called and he turned around, with a smile on his face. What was ir with this boy? ''I've got your headphones…you left them on my truck, I can get them for you'' she said.

''Oh, right. You can give them back after the game '' he said thinking quickly. That was the perfect excuse to talk again.

''Does it hurt? You forearm,I mean'' Katniss asked, motioning his arm with her head. Peeta shook his head ''I'm sorry, I was going to warn you, but…'' Was she upset because of him? Katniss Everdeen was worrying about him?

''It's really not a big deal'' Peeta said. He heard the sound of Delly's horn ''I should go''

Katniss nodded. Peeta turned around with a sense of happiness and when he though that things couldn't get better he heard her voice calling for him one more time, he turned around

''Good luck tomorrow'' She said smiling. And Peeta's smile was as radiant as the sun.

* * *

So, here it is. This is my first time writing in english. Some grammar and spelling mistakes are expected,let me know I'll change it.

Ok,feel free to tell me if this sucks or if you like it :)

Mar


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks a million to THGgoddess4ever for reading this first and fix the mistakes.

I have no idea about football, so the descrption of the game is a bit vague. And here is Ch 2.

* * *

Katniss entered the stadium with her mom and Hazelle next to her as well as Vick and Posy, Gale and Rory's siblings. The stadium was packed and music was blaring from the speakers. Flags and banners were hanging all around the field and people were speaking excitedly to each other; it was like a big party. Once they all sat down people turned around to greet Katniss, her mom and Hazelle. Haymitch arrived and sat next to Katniss; he was welcomed like a hero.

On the left side of the bleachers there was a small crowd with the people from District 2. Katniss remembered that awful kid, Cato. He had lived in District 12 for a while but because his father had a very important political job they moved to District 2. Hopefully Cato had developed an interest for track or swimming; or knitting perhaps.

''Look, there's Prim'' Posy said, as she jumped up and down in her seat. Prim looked beautiful with her white and blue uniform, moving gracefully along with Madge, Delly and the rest of the group. The crowd roared with excitement as the teams made it on to the field. When Prim spotted Katniss she, Madge and Delly waved happily at her. Katniss smiled and gave them all thumbs up.

''Prim looks beautiful'' she heard her mother said proudly. She turned her head to ask Haymitch if he knew whether Cato was on the District 2 team, but stopped when she saw Delly saying something to Peeta. Peeta turned his head, smiled and looked where Katniss was. She froze when Peeta locked eyes with her and a goofy smile appeared on his face. He waved at her with his helmet. She blushed as she felt Haymitch's eyes on her, but waved back at Peeta.

''What's up with Bread Boy?' asked Haymitch smiling. Her mom, Hazelle, Vick and Posy turned around and looked at her.

''Nothing'' Katniss mumbled moodily. She looked over at the District 2 bleachers. They were full of black and red. Her question regarding Cato was answered when she saw a huge banner that said 'Go Cato'.

The game was about to begin and Katniss felt her mother's eyes on her. Katniss turned around scowling at her. ''What?'' she asked awkwardly. Her mom shook her head smiling and started to clap when the referee blew the whistle signaling the first kick of the game.

It was clear that District 2 was ready to win the game at any cost, but the Panthers knew how to put up a good fight.

The crowd loved Peeta; he was not only a great quarterback, but a team player. A few times Cato and Peeta were found shoving each other with more force than necessary and Katniss couldn't help but worry about Peeta.  
By the last minutes of the game the Panthers were winning by a small margin. Coach Boggs called over Peeta and Gale. They both were nodding at the coach's words.

''He wants to stretch the margin. Baker Boy needs to shine tonight'' Haymitch said. Katniss looked at him and realized that Peeta's dad and two brothers were sitting next to him. A man with a 'Capitol College' jacket was talking with Peeta's mom.

''Katniss, what a nice surprise!'' Mr. Mellark said, beaming at her. She returned the smile as shrugged her shoulders. Haymitch was looking at both of them and was about to open his mouth when a whistle interrupted him.

The Panthers had the ball. Peeta was about to throw the ball to Gale, who was two a yards away from the end zone but instead he started running towards Gale. Gale tackled the District 2 player so Peeta could ran the ball to the end zone. But Peeta couldn't make it. Cato, in the most unsportsmanlike manner kicked Peeta with the sole of his cleats right in ankle with such a animosity and ferocity that Katniss was sure that Cato, in that moment, was a beast.

The Panthers side went crazy. Everyone was on their feet, insulting Cato, who was now being protected by his District 2 team mates. Katniss was on her feet too, looking at Peeta, who was on his side, holding his ankle. The referee ended the game before the chaos exploded, but it didn't matter that the Panthers had reached the semifinals; Peeta Mellark was crying in pain in the field.

The Mellarks were already on their way to the infirmary with Katniss' mom on their heels. ''C'mon sweetheart'' Haymitch said grabbing her by the elbow.

When they reached the infirmary's hallway most of the team was waiting for some news. Katniss approached Delly, Prim and Madge, who was hugging Gale.

''Any news?'' she asked hugging Prim and kissing her temple. They all shook their heads, worry apparent on their faces. ''You were great Little Duck'' Katniss whispered in Prim's ear. She smiled at her sister. They heard a yell in the infirmary and everyone froze.

''They must have put Peeta's ankle back'' Prim said shuddering; Gale shook his head. Katniss' mom opened the door and everyone looked at her.

''He's fine but that awful kid caused severe damage to Peeta's ankle'' she said with a worried look on her face.

''He's going to miss the semifinals '' Gale cried with a pained expression.

''Yes, I'm afraid that he's not going to be able to play" Mrs. Everdeen said. The team groaned and team without Peeta just wasn't the same.

''You have to step up,'' Haymitch said to Gale, ''You know that you have a good arm''. Gale shook his head. Coach Boggs left the infirmary with a stony expression. He looked at them and with a serious voice called his team to the lockers. The cheering group did the same and Mrs. Everdeen re-entered the infirmary. Katniss was standing with Haymitch in the deserted hallway. He took a flask from his breast pocket and gulped the liquid down. Katniss looked away from him.

''You shouldn't drink, Haymitch'' Katniss said biting her nails. She hated watching Haymitch drink. She still remembered the day that they buried the two empty coffins. Empty because they couldn't find the bodies of the two miners, Mr. Everdeen and Mr. Hawthorne. Haymitch had showed up so drunk that he could barely stand. At the end of the night he was sobbing in the arms of Peeta's dad because of the loss of two of his best friends. Haymitch looked at Katniss, probably recalling the same event. He sighed and closed the flask and returned it to his breast pocket.

"And you should bite your nails" he said,looking at the infirmary's door and Katniss quickly dropped her hand at her side. The sound of Delly and Prim's footsteps broke the awkward silence.

An hour later Mrs. Everdeen opened the door; she was laughing at something Peeta was saying. He was in a wheel chair and over his ankle was a huge bag of ice.  
He looked at them with a goofy smile on his face. ''Little Prim,'' he yelled, waving at her,his words slurred ''Here's a Big Prim, you look jus' the same.'' he said pointing at Mrs. Everdeen. His eyes fell on Katniss and he blushed. ''Delly, Katniss is here.'' he whispered loudly like a little child. Delly nodded and hurried to stand next to him.

''What did you give him?' Delly asked, frowning.

''Some pretty strong pain killers, his ankle was killing him.'' Mrs. Everdeen explained.

''Katniss, you came to the game.'' Peeta said, smiling brightly. Everyone turned to look at her. She blushed and looked down at her shoes.

''Yeah…" she said lamely. Haymitch chuckled and Delly and Prim giggled.

Peeta pointed at Katniss with his finger and a puppy dog expression on his face, ''I think you are…''

''Ok…let's not confess things under the effect of the opiates''Delly said, rushing to stand next to Peeta; everyone chuckled. The Mellark family left with Delly. Mrs. Mellark was talking with the Capitol College guy with a grave expression on her face. Katniss, Prim, Mrs. Everdeen and Haymitch followed them at a safe distance. Katniss kept thinking about Delly's words. She wanted to ask Prim, but her mom and Haymitch were still with them

* * *

That night after dinner, Katniss was washing the dishes and thinking of a way to ask Prim without being too obvious. Her mom had mentioned during dinner that Peeta had asked about Katniss a lot. He thought that Mrs. Everdeen was Prim and he kept telling her to say hi to her sister. Katniss pretended to hear nothing and threw a piece of bread to a very giggly Prim.

''Buttercup got your tongue?'' Prim asked as she dried the dishes.  
Katniss looked at her and shook her head, ''No, just thinking about Peeta.'' Prim raised her eyebrows and leaned in to Katniss, who blushed. "I mean, about his ankle and his scholarship, you know that stuff. '' she said raising her shoulders. Prim made an 'humph' sound and kept looking at her, as if words were missing. Katniss frowned and looked at her soapy hands.

''And…?'' Prim said, expectantly.

''Prim…what Delly said…'' Katniss stuttered, she couldn't seem to find her voice.

''Yes…'' Prim nodded like a maniac and keep looking at her in that weird, excited way.

Katniss frowned, ''Are you ok?" she asked her sister .Prim nodded and motioned for her to keep talking.

''What about what Delly said? '' Prim asked eagerly.

Katniss sighed, ''She said something about a confession. I know what painkillers do though.'' Like hell she knew; she still blushed every time she saw the dentist who took out her wisdom teeth. She had hugged him and sang 'Strangers in the night' with her mouth full of cotton and gauze.

Prim laughed and hugged her sister. ''Oh Katniss, It's not my place to tell. Ask Delly or Peeta.'' she said patting her sister on the head. Katniss stepped aside, annoyed. Her Little sister was really a pain in the ass sometimes. ''Think about it Katniss. Just by saying this I'm pretty much saying things that I'm not supposed to say.'' and with that, she kissed Katniss on the cheek and left her alone with her thoughts.

The truth was that she knew Peeta Mellark since kindergarten but they never were friends. Their dads knew each other but that didn't mean that they were supposed to be best friends, right? But she did know things about Peeta. He had almost won the wrestling competition the year before he joined the football team; his brother had beaten him. She knew he could lift those heavy bags of flour at the bakery. Once she had seen him buying an orange toothbrush at the grocery store and she noticed that he had double knotted his shoelaces before the game.

By the time she was ready to go to bed she had made a surprisingly long list about things she knew about Peeta Mellark. She couldn't forget the time he defended her in front of Cato. After that incident she always felt Peeta Mellark's eyes on her, but she always assumed that it was because he was expecting a thank you.

She looked at her watch and saw that it was 3 AM. She saw the white small headphones rolled up on her night table. Tomorrow she had to give them back to him; she had to do it. She felt a bit responsible for that awful kick that Cato gave to Peeta. Perhaps he didn't remember, but it always had meant a lot to Katniss. Rolling onto her back she decided that tomorrow after her shift she would return the headphones to Peeta and she would finally thank him for defending her and Prim all those years ago.


	3. Chapter 3

Hello! I'm of all thanks to **THGgoddess4ever**, because she rocks and she read this her elbow had a rough time,so all the best for her.  
Thanks for the those who reviewed and favorited this means a lot to ,here it goes.

* * *

"_Cleary my mom doesn't care that her daughters are sleeping." _thought Katniss as she rolled off of her bed sighing. The sound of the vacuum cleaner rang loudly in her ears. She looked at the bed next to her own. Prim, whose head was hidden behind a pillow, was mumbling under her breath. Buttercup was sleeping without a problem next to Prim. Katniss jumped off her bed and walked to the living room.

"Mom!'' she yelled trying to be heard over the noise. Mrs Everdeen looked at her and turned off the evil piece of machinery responsible for the noise.

"What, sweetie?'' she asked as if nothing was wrong.

"We were sleeping, it is only 10 am.'' Katniss said angrily.

Mrs Everdeen dismissed her daughter's anger, "So, that means that you are both up and ready to help me clean the rest of the house and the garden.''

Katniss didn't have time to say no because of the stare her mother was aiming at her. She rubbed her forehead and walked back to her room. She flopped down in her bed, telling her mom's plans to Prim.

"What?! Katniss, you should have just stayed in bed!'' Prim yelled, raising her head from the pillow. Buttercup even hissed at her for good measure.

"C'mon girls, I'm making pancakes and toast. The backyard is waiting for us!'' said her mom merrily, opening the door and looking oddly happy for a Saturday morning; both girls groaned inwardly.

* * *

Two hours later, Katniss was finishing up picking up leaves when she felt something hit her on the head. She turned around and saw Gale smiling at her. She rolled her eyes, picked up the foam ball and stood up to meet him. Gale's house was just two houses down from Katniss'. They both lived in the Seam, which was closer to the mines and farther from downtown area. Katniss loved the Seam; it was quieter and smaller than the town. Her dad's family had lived in the same house Katniss lived in now; she couldn't even think about leaving the house her dad had once lived in, it was as if he was always around.

"What's Catnip doing in the bushes?'' Gale mocked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Mom decided that today is cleaning day. She just assumed Prim and I want to help, she didn't even ask if we did or not.'' Gale chuckled for a second as Katniss tossed the ball back to him. Katniss looked at him carefully, "Are you ok Gale? You look worried.'' Gale frowned and let out a deep sigh. Katniss knew him too well, even if their relationship wasn't the same they still were friends.

Gale sighed again, "I went to see Peeta today and coach Boggs was there too.'' Katniss nodded for him to continue and motioned to sit down on the steps of the Everdeen house. "The thing is that I'm the new quarterback.'' Gale said half-heartedly.

"I thought that you wanted to be the quarterback.'' Katniss asked surprised by his lack of enthusiasm. Since they were kids Gale's dreams revolved around the football field and being the quarterback.

"Yeah but not this way. I was close to being the quarterback, but we all knew Peeta was a better player so it was better for the team if he was quarterback...This morning he was crushed Kat, it was like he was like empty.'' Gale said, squeezing the small ball in his hand.

"Gale, don't feel bad; you weren't the one who injured Peeta.'' Katniss said taking the ball from his hand.

"I know, but his scholarship might be mine now, because they were watching us both, so...he might lose his scholarship to me.'' Gale said solemnly. Katniss made an 'ooh' sound.

"So what about Peeta; he just loses his scholarship?''Katniss asked. Gale nodded his head, ashamed of himself.

"Is Peeta at his house?'' she asked, desperately trying to change the subject. Gale nodded, but the air was still tense. They stayed silent for a few minutes watching the neighbor across the street wash his car. She hated when things were left unsaid. She wanted to ask so much about Peeta, about Gale's scholarship, about what Delly had said yesterday but she couldn't find the words to.

"You should go to see him; he always asks about you.'' Gale said, smiling. Katniss blushed and Gale laughed out loud, "something going on with Baker Boy?'' Katniss shook her head and punched him lightly in the arm.

"Shut up, Gale.'' Katniss said as she blushed.

Gale patted her on the head, "I just want you to be happy, you know, find someone'' he said, sobering. Katniss looked at him, her friend. They were friends no matter what, right?

"You know, Delly said something that got me thinking.'' Her voice was barely a whisper and she was looking at the ground. She told him about the (according to Delly) almost confession and how Peeta asked her mom about her. Gale smiled warmly at her and Katniss frowned. They both knew the truth behind those words, Katniss was confused. Peeta Mellark was everything a nice young man should be but what Katniss couldn't see was why he had noticed her. She was shy, didn't go to parties and didn't have many friends. Everyone knew her, but it was because she was the Everdeen's daughter and Primrose's sister.

"Katniss, you have no idea the effect you have on people.'' Gale said looking intensely at her, "Peeta is a really nice guy. I'm not saying that you should marry him, but at least get know him better. He's going to have a lot of free time now. Give him a chance.''

Katniss sighed deeply, rubbing her forehead. "Was this easy for you and Madge?'' Katniss asked, watching as Gale stood up.

He looked at her and put his hand in his pockets. "Well, I felt like shit when we first hooked up because all I could think was about you,'' Katniss looked down, feeling bad, "but then I realized that sometimes you have to leave your comfort zone and do things that scare the shit out of you. And eventually you realize that they were worth it. Madge is worth it.'' Gale said, smiling a bit.

Katniss looked at him in shock. "You grew up Gale, you've turned into a fine man." Katniss said, standing up as well.

He hugged her briefly. "I really want what's best for you Catnip.'' Gale said patting her head like she was a little child. She smiled, thankful for having this boy in her life.

The front door opened and Prim stepped outside with a garbage bag. "Hey Gale, where's Roy?''Prim asked quickly.

Gale frowned. "Hello Primrose, I'm fine, thank you for asking. How are you? My dear brother is at our house, feel free to stop by." Gale mocked. Prim smiled, patted his arm and left to go over to the Hawthorne's house.

"They have been spending a lot of time together.'' Katniss said, frowning.

Gale watched Prim's figure entering his house. "Well, they are best friends, right'' Gale explained walking backwards. The sound of a horn made him turn around and Madge's car appeared on the side of the road. She rolled down the window and waved to Katniss. Katniss threw the ball back to Gale. "Remember what I told you!'' he yelled before entering the car. Katniss sighed and went back inside her house.

Her mom was peeling potatoes near the kitchen sink. Katniss remember her mom's depression after her husband's death. She couldn't even move. It was as if death itself was within Mrs. Everdeen. It was the night after she locked herself in the bathroom and a crying Katniss ran to the Hawthorne's house yelling for help that she started to heal, at a painfully slow rate. Katniss knew that sometimes love was a double edge sword. It was a great thing but it also could destroy you. But if she never gave love a try she would never know. And besides, everyone kept saying that Peeta liked her, but she hasn't heard the actual words come from Peeta. Maybe she was building a castle in the air based only on what others have told her.

She spent all of lunch time and the entire time she was getting ready for work thinking. Damn she was confused, but Gale was right. Sometimes it was worth it to do scary things. And a Saturday was a good day to start doing them, right?

* * *

"Sweetheart, care to explain me why the running shorts are in the ball alley?'' Haymitch asked; his voice scared Katniss and made her fall from the ladder, landing on her back. She shielded her face with her hands as a wave of boxing gloves falls on her. Haymitch looks at her, still lying in the floor.

"Sorry, Haymitch'' Katniss apologized, looking at the long lights in the ceiling. Haymitch's head appeared out of nowhere and looked at her quizzically.

"Are you all right? You look weird.'' Haymitch said frowning. He offered her a hand and helped her to get on her feet.

"Yeah, just worried about... uhhh, stuff." Katniss explained, vaguely, picking the gloves. Haymitch looked at her and then started to pick up the gloves as well. He made an 'hmmm' sound.

"You can go home early if you want'' Haymitch offered, looking at her. Katniss looked back at him and then checked her watch. She nodded and left to go to the bathroom to change into her regular clothes. She looked at herself in the mirror, braiding her hair. Once she was ready, she searched for the headphones in her backpack pocket and when she found them she put them in the front pocket of her jeans.

"Ok, I'm off. '' Katniss said. Haymitch was helping a fat man with golf sticks; he winked at her and rolled his eyes when the man looked over at her. She waved, smiling gratefully for having a boss like Haymitch.

* * *

Ten minutes later she was in the parking lot in front of the Mellark's Bakery. She decided she would give Peeta back the headphones and then go buy the peas and the meat for the stew she had promised Prim for dinner. _'The perfect excuse to leave'_ a nagging voice said in her head. It didn't surprise her that the voice sounded like Prim. But she did need to go to the grocery store; her mom was working in the night shift, so it was her turn to cook dinner.

She reached the bakery quickly. She sighed and opened the door. Luckily, Mr Mellark was in front of the store, writing something on a piece of paper. Peeta's mom scared the shit out of her and asking her to see her son would be a million times more difficult than talking to Peeta's father.

"Katniss! What brings you here?'' he asked in a friendly voice, setting down the pencil. Katniss noticed he was doing calculations. She cleared her throat and took at step forward to the counter, feeling very shy all of the sudden.

"Peeta forgot his headphones in my truck and I wanted to give them back to him." she explained, in a small voice, finding it very hard to keep eye contact with Mr. Mellark. His eyes were just like Peeta's.

He smiled. "I could give them to him…'' he started and Katniss panicked. She wanted to see Peeta. Prim and Gale's voices muttered '_don't be a chicken_' in her head. "Or maybe you could go upstairs, he could use some company.'' he smiled at her warmly. Katniss nodded and he showed her to the back of the bakery's kitchen. A small door led to the house.

He opened the front door for her. The house was very warm. Katniss walked through the living room. There was a very comfortable looking couch and a big TV. She really curious about the photos on the wall, but she didn't want to looked like an ogler.

"Peet's room is the last one on the right.'' he said, pointing to the stairs and she smiled at the nickname. "He's in his room.'' Katniss nodded and thanked him.

She climbed the stairs slowly, suddenly feeling like an intruder. When she reached the second floor she noticed the light shining from underneath the last door. She looked to her right and smiled when she saw a picture of a very young Peeta covered in flour.

When she reached the last door, she took one last breath to steady herself before opening the door. Peeta was sitting in a chair, with his right ankle in a cast that went up the length of his calf resting on the bed. There was a book open in his lap, but he was looking out the window, with a grave expression. His eyes were red and a bit swollen. Katniss kicked herself mentally; it was too soon to visit him. It also surprised her to see Peeta not smiling; in her mind he was always smiling. '_But he might want to hear music, right_?' She knocked softly on the doorframe.

Peeta opened his mouth and frowned, not wanting to have visitors, but his heart almost stopped when he saw Katniss Everdeen standing in his doorway, drumming her fingers on her thigh as she looked at him.

He just sat there staring at her, with his mouth open like a fish. She smiled weakly and took his headphones out of her jean pockets. He closed his mouth and smiled at her.

"Hey.'' he greeted her. _Katniss Everdeen was in his room_. Cleary those painkillers were stronger that he thought.

"I brought you your headphones.'' she said still standing in the doorway.

"Thank you Katniss, come in." Peeta said after pinching himself mentally. He looked at her and smiled. She smiled and entered his room nervously. The walls were painted a beautiful shade of blue. There was a small, single bed situated right next to the window, a bookcase, a desk with a closed laptop and a tray with two plates and an empty glass. Above the desk there was a huge painting of a meadow.

"That's really beautiful," Katniss said pointing at the painting, "did you do it?''

Peeta nodded. She sat down on his bed and handed him the headphones. He set them down on his desk, grabbed the tray and offered it to her, "Cookies? Cheese buns? I think my dad believes that flour and butter are the answer to everything."

Katniss smiled and took the cheese bun to her mouth... _If heaven was made of cheese, she wanted to die._

"This is really good." she said in a low voice, swallowing the last bite. Peeta was looking at her, still not believing she was actually there, in his room, to see if he was okay. She felt self conscious under his gaze and blushed. He took a cookie; he was a bit shaky.

"Are you still in pain?" she asked, pointing at his cast.

Peeta shook his head. "Not really, I have pain medicine to help with the pain but I still can't put all my weight on it. My mom went to go get me some crutches." he explained, looking at his cast. It was all white except for a message from Delly, written in large bright orange letters. Katniss pointed at it with a smile playing on her lips.

Peeta smiled, "Delly stopped by this morning to make sure I knew how good of a friend she is." Delly's words echoed in Peeta's mind as Katniss nodded. A silence settled between them. "You can sign it if you want to?" offered Peeta, desperate to make her stay longer. He grabbed a cup full of markers, pens, pencils and brushes and handed it to her so she could choose a colour. She picked a green marker and wrote in small, neat letters 'Get well soon. Katniss.' Peeta's heart was about to burst as he read her message.

"If I knew how to draw I would, but I don't think you want a crappy drawing on your cast." Katniss said sheepishly.

"It's okay, you can draw whatever you want."Peeta said a little too quickly. Katniss looked at him and he blushed, "I mean this thing is going to be in my ankle for at least four months, so...'' _Nice point Mellark_. Katniss chuckled to herself and said under her breath something along the lines of 'don't complain.'

"Don't look." Katniss said as she looked for more markers in the cup Peeta had set out. Peeta laughed and put a hand over his eyes. Katniss made a crappy house with a tree and what may or may not be a car. When she finished she looked closely at Peeta. He was really blonde, even his stubble was very fair. His shoulders were strong and his arms were really muscular. He was smiling.

"What are drawing?'' he asked when he realized that she had stopped. Katniss jumped in surprise.

"A masterpiece; it took so long because there is a before and after in this drawing." she said in a solemn voice, not really believing she was behaving like this. She wasn't the kind of girl who fools around and cracks jokes with people she barely knows, like Peeta, but everything with him just felt natural. He had this calm presence that made her want to be there with him.

Peeta removed his hand from his eyes with a wide grin and looked down at his cast.

"Wow." he said looking at the drawing; she really was a crappy drawer. It looked like a drawing a five year old drew it but he loved it anyways. "When I have this cast removed, I'm gonna ask them if I can keep the part you drew. I can almost feel the millions this piece of modern art is worth." he said seriously.

Katniss laughed out loud and hid her face in her hands. Peeta chuckled. "Thanks Katniss, I really like it." he said honestly. She lifted her face out of her hands, smiling a bit. She looked at the cast again and his leg resting on the bed and sobered up.

"I'm really sorry about your ankle Peeta." she said sadly. Peeta shrugged his shoulders, defeated, "and I guess I should also thank you." Confusion washed over Peeta's face.

Katniss sighed, "I don't know if you remember, but a few years ago you punched Cato in the nose because he insulted Prim and called us Seam trash. Your mom was really mad and was yelling at you and the next day you had a bruise. I never said thank you because what you did meant a lot...those were crappy days." Katniss said everything very fast while looking at an imaginary point above Peeta's forehead. He looked at her in awe. His heart was beating really fast, and in the boldest move of his life, his hand found her slightly shaky hand.

"For you, I would do it a thousand more times." he said looking into her eyes, with such honesty that Katniss forgot how to breathe. She cleared her throat and smiled weakly. Peeta dropped her hand, not knowing what to say. She was about to open her mouth when they heard Peeta's mom yelling from the bottom of the stairs. They heard steps and Mr. Mellark opened the door with a pair of clutches in hand; he smiled at them.

"I should go." Katniss said softly, standing up.

"That's okay Katniss, I was just giving these to Peeta and now I'm leaving; sorry if I interrupted.'' he smiled.

"Still, It's late and I need to stop by the grocery store before it closes." she explains to both of the Mellark men. Peeta nodded and grabbed his crutches. With his father's help, he reached the bottom of the stairs.

On the first floor Mrs. Mellark was sitting down at the table with a steaming cup of tea. She frowned slightly when she saw a very shy Katniss walking behind Mr. Mellark.

"Mom, this is Katniss. Katniss, meet my mom." Peeta introduced them nervously. They shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.

"Katniss, I've never heard Peeta talk about you before." Mrs Mellark said. She was a bit taller than Katniss, her hair was blonde like Peeta's but it was very well combed. Her eyes were blue, but colder than Peeta's; they lacked the warmness that her husband and son had. Katniss wasn't sure if Mrs. Mellark remembered that Peeta had punched Cato to protect her and Prim.

"She's a friend from school; we don't share many classes." Peeta explained. Katniss nodded and with a shy goodbye made her way to the door with Peeta following closely behind her on his crutches. She opened the front door quickly, eager to get away from Mrs. Mellark.

"Thanks for visiting me Katniss, it really meant a lot to me." Peeta said in a low voice. Katniss noticed Mrs. Mellark watching them, that is until her phone started to ring and she went off to answer the call.

"Anytime Peeta." she said as she stepped outside, zipping her jacket. She waved goodbye and looked back at Peeta who stood there, smiling at her with a goofy smile on his face. "Go inside, it's cold." Katniss whispered. Peeta chuckled and closed the door softly behind him as he made his way inside.

Katniss walked to the grocery store with a dumb smile on her face. She regretted not saying thank you to Peeta before. He clearly wore his heart on his sleeve. They could have been very good friends, _or maybe something more. _Katniss thought as she put a bag of frozen peas in her cart. She bought ice cream too since today had been a really good day. At least she knew now that Peeta considered her a friend and that was a really good thing.

* * *

The store was getting ready to close by the time Katniss was ready to pay. She left the place hastily; a grumpy employee was holding open the door, the closed sign hanging off of it.

She set the bags next to her and was getting ready to start the engine when she heard two people yelling, something being thrown and broken, and the sound of a slamming door. She sat there momentarily looking for something but the darkness made it difficult to see anything. She started the engine and began driving slowly towards her house when she suddenly saw a flash of something white.

"Peeta." she whispered to herself when she recognised the white object as a cast. Peeta was limping down the street quickly without his crutches. Katniss sped up to catch up with him and rolled down the window as she neared him, calling his name. He turned to look at her surprised to see her. He had an angry red bruise on his left cheek and his eye was almost swollen shut. They heard a woman yelling from the distance.

This time Katniss didn't hesitate. She would help Peeta Mellark.

* * *

Let me introduce you to my friend the cliffhanger.

I'll try to update soon. Next chapter will have this words: stew, hugs, crutches, ,maybe not bears

Bye!


	4. Chapter 4

Hello! I'm back but Beta-less, so grammar and spelling mistakes are expected.

Thank you so much for the follows,and the reviews and the 's really nice to hear from you.

And now, chapter 4.

* * *

"Get in the car." Peeta nodded and jumped in the car quietly. Katniss stepped on the gas pedal and drove as fast as possible towards the Seam. A loaded silence settled between them. Peeta's cell phone started to ring but he turned it off and shoved it hastily in his pocket. "Here, put this on your cheek." Katniss said, handing him the bag of frozen peas. He looked at her sadly and murmured his thanks under his breath. She stole a few glances of Peeta, who was holding the bag to his cheek and looking through the passenger window. He was shivering, his simple t-shirt doing nothing to keep him warm.

"I hope you like stew." she said, trying to ease some of the tension in the air. Peeta looked at her; his eyes were so sad that Katniss felt an overwhelming desire to protect this kind boy. "It's my turn to cook today… oh, and there's ice cream for dessert if my cooking skills prove to be the same as my drawing skills.'' she said, looking at the road and occasionally stealing a few short of glances of Peeta.

He smiled weakly, "stew and ice cream sounds great. Thanks Katniss."

When they reached the Everdeen house, Peeta grabbed the shopping bags. Katniss began to protest but he didn't even let her open her mouth before he loaded all the bags into his arms.

"Make yourself at home." Katniss said, leaving the keys on a small table next to the door and taking the bags from Peeta's arms. He followed Katniss, looking at everything. Everything was integrated like a big ambient. The kitchen, which had a small table, was separated from the dining room by a bar. Right in front of the dining room, in the small space between it and the kitchen was a living room complete with a small couch and television and a small coffee table sitting perfectly in the middle of the room.

Katniss left the groceries on the kitchen table. Peeta was looking at the floor. "Let me see the side of your face." Katniss said as she grabbed a pack of ice from the freezer. There was a line of blood on the side of the eyebrow and the area around his eye was swelling quickly. Katniss clicked her tongue and sighed. She grabbed his face very gently and cleaned what looked like flour.

She frowned and looked at Peeta. "Rolling pin," he explained and chuckled when he saw the shocked expression on Katniss' face, "not the first time that we have gotten in a fight and she's hit me; she has a temper."

"Why? She shouldn't have done this Peeta." Katniss said, folding the towel as she tried to mask her anger.

"I know and I'm not defending her; I'm just used to it," Peeta said holding the ice to his cheek. Katniss bit her lip as Peeta continued with a dark humor evident in his voice, "Although she hasn't done it recently, now that I'm taller than her"

"What happened?" Katniss asked without thinking. She cleared her throat and tried again, "I mean you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"It's okay." he said, his anger from earlier completely erased by Katniss' presence. Peeta leaned against the kitchen counter, his eyes trained on the floor, "When you left,the guy from Capital College called and said that because of the amount of time it will take for my ankle to heal I am no longer considered a suitable player, so they took my scholarship."

Katniss nodded and he continued, "well I was upset; but she was even more upset...she couldn't take it. She started to say how unlucky we were, that both my brothers had gotten scholarships and she was very disappointed in me...as if I purposely injured myself and I said that maybe I could go to art school now and I guess the timing was off worst, but it's just that…" Peeta trailed off, running out of words; his eyes begin to fill with tears. He wiped them away and winced as he touched his left eye.

Katniss took his hand so he wouldn't do that again "and she said that I couldn't be serious, that my hobbie wasn't going to give me money and then I lost it, Katniss'' he squeezed her hand.

She was looking intensely at him "I lost it. And started to tell her that she only cared about money, she didn't give a shit if we were happy '' his voice was thick from holding the tears "because she was so miserable in her marriage and…and then she hit me'' Katniss opened her mouth, in shock.

Peeta was looking away from her, breathing hard, silent tears scaping his eyes. She couldn't even begin to say something, she didn't know those kinds of things about the Mellarks, and her frienship with Peeta was too recent, not even 24 hours long! She didn't know much about Peeta, but she did want to know.

She hugged him, hesitantly at first, but when he dropped his head on her shoulder with a shuddering breath and hugged her back, she hugged him tighter and whispered a soft "I'm sorry'' She wasn't a touchy kind of person. Only Prim knew what long huggs from Katniss were, but they stood there in the small kitchen at least ten minutes, not saying a word.

The sounds of keys in the door brook them apart. Katniss smiled sadly at him. He whispered a soft ''Thanks Katniss''

"Prim is in the house'' Prim's happy form appeared in the kitchen. She was surprised when she saw Peeta there, with an almost black, swollen eye "Peeta! What happened to your eye?'' she asked looking at him, worried, while Katniss started to chopped vegetables. Peeta waved his hand.

"Nothing really, you should see the other guy '' he said, as if seconds ago he wasn't hugging Katniss for dear life. Prim put her hand on her hips and made a face.

"Where you defending my sister's honor? Someone was trying to take her away from you'' she asked. Katniss turned around, red in the face.

"Primrose!'' Katniss said scandalized, blushing. Peeta and Prim laughed. "Set the table. There's ice cream for dessert'' she said covering the stew.

"Ice cream? What's the occasion?" Asked Prim, eyeing Peeta suspiciosly. He smiled shyly

"Please, stop being a pain in the ass. We have a guest, we're having ice cream. Now, please, Primrose, little princess of ducks, could you move your tail and set the good damn table?'' Katniss was covering her eyes in an exasperated manner.

"Okay, will do Katniss, like the aquatic plant'' Prim said, making a small bow. Katniss rolled her eyes and stired the stew.

Peeta laughed again and helped Prim to set the table. He was fassinated by the exchange of words of the Everdeen sisters. Katniss around Prim was carefree, and funnier, which made her more beautiful, if that was possible.

Prim gave a sweater to Peeta when she saw him rubbing his was Rory's sweater. Katniss wondered why Prim had Rory's sweater and made a mental note to ask her about that later. It was a bit tight on the shoulders to him but at least he wasn't cold anymore. Katniss decided that she liked Peeta's shoulders. .Yes , she liked Peeta's sholders.

They had dinner chatting about the art project in which Prim needed help. Apparently the art didn't run in the Everdeen bloodstream.

"I saw him on the art room and told him to change his applications for college'' Prim said, smiling. Peeta's smile faltered and Katniss cleared her thoat.

"Who wants some ice cream'' she asked, changing the subjet quickly. Prim realized what she had said and panicked

"Peeta, I'm sorry, I didn't meant it...I didn't realized...'' she said, anguish in her voice. Peeta smiled sadly and patted her hand.

"It's all right Prim and actually it's not a bad idea" Peeta said seriously. Katniss looked at him and she found he was looking at her. She smiled at him and nodded "I could send a portfolio, I mean, I already have tons of things to show, so..." he said, scratching the back of his neck nervously.

"You should, you are really good Peeta'' said Katniss, leaving the cups and the ice cream on the table. He looked at her, her words meaning the world to served the ice cream while Katniss sat down again, looking at Peeta's eye.

"Maybe Katniss could pose for you'' Prim said, looking at her ice cream in the spoon. Katniss just looked at her in a very homicidal way, spoon in mid air, ice cream falling on the cup "Just kidding'' Prim said quickly, eating her ice cream, smiling.

"Actually it's not a bad idea'' Peeta said, oblivious to Katniss' stare at Prim. She turned her head to him and narrowed her eyes.

"Shut up and eat you ice cream'' Katniss said poiting him with her spoon. Peeta and Prim looked at each other and burst out laughing. Katniss dropped her head in the table, not knowing what to do. "Prim, don't you have plans? It's Saturday night after all'' Katniss asked, her voice muffled by the table.

"Nope, tomorrow I have trainig sessions early, so I'm turning in early '' Prim aswered, standing up and leaving her cup on the sink. She kissed her sister's head and highed-fived with Peeta

"You kids behave'' Prim warned, leaving to her room. Katniss looked at her, Prim winked and Katniss rolled her eyes. Peeta apparently had found the spoon fasinating.

"I'll help you with the dishes'' Peeta offered picking up the cups and taking them to the sink.

Katniss began to wash the rest of the dishes, while Peeta dryed them, stealing a few glances to Katniss' profile every once in a while.

"Prim's right, if you want to, I could sketch you'' he said, drying a plate. Katniss looked at him quizically. "I mean, I need a front, a profile and a back sketch for the portfolio, but if you don't want to that's ok'' he added quickly, not wanting to unsettle her. Katniss lift her eyebrows and made an 'hmm' she was thinking about it?

"Maybe I could, I would like to help you'' Katniss said, a bit shy. She didn't want to, but she couldn't say no to Peeta while he was looking at her with a smile so bright. She looked at his black eye. Of course she would help him

"Really? Oh Katniss, that would be awesome, really'' Peeta said, smiling. Katniss returned the smile warmly.

When they finished with the dishes Katniss put the kettle for some mint tea. Peeta sat in the table again waiting for Katniss, knowing that at some point he would have to go back to his house. His parents didn't know where he was and probably would't think that he would be with Katniss.

"Hey'' Katniss' voice took him of his thoughs. She gave him the tea and looked at him, worried. Peeta shruggred his shoulders and sipped his tea.

"I'm thinking about what's gonna happen when I get back home'' he said, sipping his tea. She nodded. They drank the tea without talking. His hand was fisted in his temple and his head was resting on it. He was looking at Katniss, and she blushed under his gaze. He took her hand in his other hand and smiled "Thank you for everything Katniss'' he said. She squezed his hand but didn't let go of it.

Again, the sound of the keys on the door made them break apart. Katniss' mom entered and lift her eyebrows when she saw Peeta and Katniss on the table. Peeta was right on his feet, limping a bit with the cast.

"Hello Mrs Everdeen'' he said, very red in the face, trying to put as much distance from Katniss as possible.

"Peeta, what happen to your eye?'' she asked, not even saying hello. He hesitated and looked at Katniss.

"There was a fight in which I was involved'' he explained, avoiding the fact that his mother had hit him with a rolling pin.

"Does your parents know you are in our house'' Mrs Everdeen asked figuring out quickly the situation. Of course she knew about the short temper of Mrs Mellark. They had been high school friends, a long time ago. Peeta shooked his head and looked at his feet. Mrs Everdeen frowned.

"I brought him here because he couldn't walk and we put ice on his cheek'' Katniss explained. "I made stew, do you want some?'' she asked her mom, trying to change the fact that a boy was in their house at almost midnight.

"Katniss, could I talk to you, please?'' she said. Katniss looked at Peeta and went to her mother's room. Peeta felt guilty. Mrs Everdeen gave him another pack of ice and smiled at him ''don't worry Peeta'' she added patting him slightly in his heatly ckeek. Peeta smiled sheepishly.

Mrs Everdeen entered her room. Katniss was sitting on her bed, bitting her nails.

"I know that I shouldn't have brought him here, but I couldn't leave him alone mom'' she said before been asked. Mrs Everdeen lift her hand, stopping her daughter. She was still in her nurse scrubs and she looked tired.

"It's okay honey, but you know that we have to tell his parents'' she said, gravely.

"Mom, she hit him with a rolling pin'' Katniss said in a low whisper, agitated "They would have come to take him. All I want was to help him, he was very upset and maybe things would cool off a bit" Katniss explained, a bit deffeted. Her mum was right, at least she should have called Mr Mellark, who was much calmer that his awful wife ''you are going to call them right?'' Katniss asked, knowing the answer.

"Of course, at least to let them know that he is okay'' Mrs Everdeen said, hugging her daughter to calm her.

"He could stay here tonight'' Katniss offered, looking at her father's picture on the wall over her mom shoulder.

"I don't know'' Mrs Everdeen said, frowing.

"He could sleep in the couch'' Katniss said. Her mum was looking at her, with a small smile dancing on her lips "what? Mum! C'mon I just want to help him, we're friends'' said Katniss blushing

"Ok, but I'm talking to his dad'' she said, opening the door "Now, where's that stew you told me about''

Peeta was standing still, waiting for them in the living room.

"I should go; I don't want to be a burden'' he said quickly.

"Nonsense, you are staying here only for tonight, but I'm calling your father to let him know that you are okay'' Mrs Everdeen said. Peeta knew that Katniss must have told something to her mum, and he was grateful for not being asked.

He turned on his cellphone and saw at least twenty calls from his house. He dialed his father's number and gave the phone to Mrs Everdeen. They heard the nervous voice of Mr Mellark on the other side and Katniss mum left to her room while Katniss re heated the stew on the stove.

"Thanks Katniss, you didn't have to'' Peeta said. Katniss smiled at him and went to the kitchen to serve stew to her mom. She heard her talking softly on the phone, while Peeta waited nervously.

"Your dad is picking you up tomorrow '' Mrs Everdeen said handing the phone to Peeta. She went to the bathroom to wash her hands and Katniss heard Peeta realase the breath he was holding.

Katniss sat next to Peeta on the table, while Mrs Everdeen eated.

"Katniss, you should cook more often, this is really good'' her mom complimented her. Katniss smiled. Peeta nodded in agreement. Katniss' mom looked at him, smiling.

"Now, for the sleeping arregements…'' she started. Peeta blushed.

"I'll sleep in the couch, of course'' he said quickly. A wave of images of Katniss sleeping next to him invaded his mind and he felt a tug on his stomach.

He pushed those thoughts away quickly "Please, I don't want bother you'' he said, almost painfuly. Mrs Everdeen sighed.

"You are not a bother Peeta'' she said, patting him on his hand. He sighed shakily. Her hand was really warm and he suddenly felt a terrible urge to cry. He cleared his troath and excused himself to the bathroom.

Katniss watched him leave with a sad expression on her face "That woman is evil'' she whispered under her breath. Her mom looked at her and nodded slowly.

''Yes, but now is not the best time to said that to Peeta'' she said, picking up her plate. She left it on the sink and went to her room, to return a few minutes later with a sheet and blankets.

Peeta left the bathroom, and asked for an aspirin, because his head was killing him. Katniss knew that headhache too well. It was from holding all those tears. She prepeared the couch to Peeta.

"Thanks Katniss'' he said when she left the pillow. Mrs Everdeen handed him a pair of pajamas pants that once had belong to her husband. She knew, by the look in Katniss' face that it was okay. Mrs Everdeen kissed Katniss on the cheek and patted Peeta on his shoulder, warning Katniss to not stay too late.

Katniss washed her mom's plate and when she turned off the kitchen light, Peeta was standing next to the couch.

"So, I guess I'll see you tomorrow'' Katniss said, looking at Peeta wearing her dad's pajama pants. Peeta nodded and smiled slightly.

"Yeah'' he said scratching his neck. They still could hear Mrs Everdeen getting ready to bed "Thanks Katniss'' he said again. She smiled warmly at him.

"I'm glad I could help you'' she whispered looking at him. He wanted to hug her, but Mrs Everdeen was still awake and maybe Katniss would feel unconfortable. He lied down on the couch. The pillowcase smelled like Katniss. He smiled and watched her go to her room. She turned around one last time to said goodnight and turned off the lights.

He listened to Katniss quiet footsteps while she brushed her teeth. He couldn't believe this day. He felt so sad about the crappy situation in his house, but at the same time he was happy about how things had turned out with Katniss. He put his hands under his head, staring at the ceiling, thinking about what brought him in the first place to sleep in Katniss' house. He fell asleep easily, thinking that maybe, someday he would sleep again in the same house under much better circumstances.

* * *

Katniss woke up the next morning with a sweet smell. She frowned and looked at Prim's bed, now empty.

She went to the bathroom quietly, hearing the voices of her mom and sister and Peeta. _Peeta._ She tried to fixed her hair a bit and cursed herself for not changing her pajamas. She was wearing and old 'Where's Waldo' t shirt and flannel pants that where a bit large for her petite form. She huffed in annoyance when she realized she was thinking what Peeta could think.

She entered the kitchen hearing them talk. Peeta looked at her and blushed a bit. He mumbled a soft good morning and turned around to the stove, limping a bit. He left a plate with a pile of pancakes and sat down at the table, next to Katniss.

His eye was now turning black, but there was still a shade of yellow and red and his cheek was still swollen. Katniss smiled at him. He put a pancake on her plate and another one on his.

"Katniss, we were just getting started'' Mrs. Everdeen greeteded her daughter, smiling. She was in her scrubs. Prim was eating and looking at her with a smile in her face.

"This is really good Peeta'' Prim complimented with her mouth full of food

"Primrose, please, we don't want to see that'' her mom said, frowning. Katniss laughed and took a bite. It was really good. Peeta was looking at her expectantly. She gave him thumbs up and Peeta smiled happily.

When the doorbell and Prim's cell phone rang Peeta stilled in his chair. Prim went to open the door and Katniss was surprised to see Mr. Mellark with a pair of crutches and behind him was a very confused Delly.

She gasped when she saw Peeta, but said nothing. Mr. Mellark looked at his son with infinite sadness in his eyes and shook his head, fighting tears. Katniss felt Peeta swallow a lump in his throat.

"Mom I have practice'' Prim said in a quiet voice, serious all of the sudden, with a backpack on her shoulder. Mrs. Everdeen nodded and went to the door with her. Delly mouthed a 'call me' to Peeta and left after kissing Mr. Mellark on the cheek. Katniss rose from her chair and patted Peeta softly in the shoulder.

"Come in Mr. Mellark, would you like something to eat?" She asked shook his head, not finding any words.

"Thank you Katniss'' Peeta said rising from his chair "We should be going now'' he was taking the plates to the sink but Katniss took them from his hands.

" Peet…son, we should go'' Mr. Mellark said sadly, handling the crutches to Peeta. He nodded and put the crutches under his armpits and Mr. Mellark hugged him and mumbled 'I'm sorry son' over and over again. Katniss left to her room quietly, not wanting to interrupt them.

She changed and was making her bed when her mom knocked softly to her door.

"Peeta is leaving'' she said, opening the door. Katniss nodded and went to the living room, when both Mellarks were waiting for her. They were both with their eyes red.

"Katniss, thank you very much for taking such good care of Peeta'' Mr Mellark thanked and hugged her in his big frame. Katniss smiled when she recognized that sweet smell that she had smelled when she had hugged Peeta last night.

"Peeta says the most wonderful things about you'' he added, breaking the hug. Katniss smiled and blushed a bit. The tip of Peeta's ears where really red.

"He's quite wonderful himself'' Katniss said, feeling bold and looking at Peeta, who looked at her,surprised but pleased.

"Now, we don't want to take any more time from you'' Mr. Mellark said "Katniss, Marie, thank you for having my boy here'' he clapped Peeta on the back.

"Don't mention it Jim'' Mrs. Everdeen said walking them to the door. Peeta stopped and turned around to face Katniss

" You have no idea how much it meant to me what you did last night'' Peeta said looking at Katniss seriously and so intensely that made her heart beat way too quickly. She hugged him briefly and took a step back. Peeta smiled and turned to the door and she stood there, feeling a bit confused and somehow, happy.

Mrs. Everdeen closed the door behind her and sighed. Katniss was frowning and she knew that her daughter's mind was a pandemonium of feelings, but she knew better.

Prim would be the first to ask and then she would do it. She knew that Katniss didn't trust her. They had a nice relationship now, but her daughter was too Everdeen in some ways. Some things couldn't be forgotten.

"Do you want me to take you to the hospital? It's getting late'' Katniss said quickly. Her mom picked her purse and nodded. Katniss grab the keys and marched to the truck

The ride to the hospital was quiet. Katniss was nervous.

When they reached the hospital parking lot and Katniss stopped Mrs. Everdeen sighed and grabbed the handle but didn't leave the truck.

"What you did yesterday with Peeta…'' Mrs. Everdeen started, looking at Katniss

"I'm sorry if yesterday I put you in a crappy situation by saying that Peeta should stay at home, but…'' Katniss answered heatedly, not looking at her mom. Mrs. Everdeen lift her hand,stopping her daughter

"What you did yesterday with Peeta shows how wonderful you are and how big is your heart and I have no words to tell you how proud I am.'' Mrs. Everdeen said with her eyes full of tears. "You have so much love to give Katniss'' and her voice was thick with tears. She placed a soothing hand in Katniss' cheek and smiled at her. Katniss felt a lump in her throat and leaned into her mom's hand briefly. Mrs. Everdeen kissed her on the forehead and opened the door.

"Bye mom'' she said and smiled a bit. Mrs. Everdeen beamed at her.

"Bye" Mrs. Everdeen said, leaving the truck.

Katniss left the hospital parking lot with the burning sensation of the tears in her throat, so she stopped in the next block to have a nice cry with her head against the steering wheel, with big tears falling in her lap, trying to breathe.

It was really rare for them to have those kinds of mother-daughter moments. The relationship she had with her mom was distant because Katniss was the one to put the barriers and with a new wave of tears she realized that she did that with everyone and Prim was the only exception.

She was wiping her nose noisily when she realized an older woman was looking at her curiously. Katniss looked ahead, dried her tears with the sleeve of her hoodie and left the place.

She arrived at her house and she was relieved that Prim was at practice. She plopped herself down in the couch. The sheets and the blanket were folded neatly in one of the cushions.

She grabbed the pillow and lay down, covering herself with the blanket. All smelled like Peeta and she smiled a bit, feeling oddly relaxed after her emotional mayhem. But, luckily, sleep found her with happy thoughts of blue eyes and sweet smiles...

_Katniss was running along the closed mines. A cart full of miners, including her dad, was moving towards the entrance. Katniss started to yell to her dad that he had forgotten his lunch. The cart stopped and Katniss gave him a brown bag full of cinnamon rolls and cheese buns._

_"Thank you pumpkin'' Oliver Everdeen said, kissing her daughter on the forehead. Katniss smiled, and looked at her dad, trying to remember every little detail of him. His black beard, his olive skin and his grey eyes, full of love and tenderness. He had a small scar above his left eyebrow._

_He put on his helmet and turn around to enter the mines, humming a soft tune to himself. She felt she was sinking on the ground._

"Katniss'' It was Prim's voice. Katniss opened her eyes but she couldn't move a muscle. She was breathing heavily. "Katniss'' Prim said, shaking her shoulder. Katniss looked at her sister and blinked.

"What?" she croaked. Prim was looking at her with a worried expression.

"You were mumbling and shaking. Were you crying? Did you have a fight with mom? Are you okay?" Prim was a bit frantic. Katniss sat down and rubbed her eyes. There were swollen

"Yes Prim I'm fine"Katniss said, lying down again. Prim looked at her. She was sweaty from practice, her cheeks still tainted with red.

"Why were you crying?" she asked, leaning on the couch, putting Katniss' legs over her lap.

"Mom said things"Katniss answered, rubbing her eyes. "Good things" she added quickly when Prim frowned. "And I was having a dream and dad was in it. It was a really good one" and Katniss smiled while she told the dream to Prim, who smiled, happy that her sister could see their dad in dreams and not in nightmares, like it often happened to her

They shared a lovely silence. Even Buttercup climbed in Prim's lap and fell asleep and Katniss was on the same way, when Prim stood up and stretched.

"I'm going to take a shower" she said, leaving Buttercup in Katniss' feet. He looked at Katniss and jumped from the couch, following Prim.

Katniss stretched and noticed that Prim had left her cell phone on the table near the couch. She heard the water running and the idea that was forming on the back of her brain saw the light with full force. She found what she was looking for after a quick scan of the agenda and copied it on her cell phone. She dropped Prim's cell as if it was a burning coal.

* * *

Peeta was looking at the ceiling in his room. He had spent the entire day in the same position. Night was already settled and the house was quiet and felt empty. The news were still heavy on his head. Guilty was eating him alive. He felt like scum. He should have shut his stupid mouth, hold his breath and count to ten.

His cell phone took him out of his mental beating. Delly had been calling every hour to talk, but he didn't felt like talking. He grabbed the phone to turn it off when he saw an unknown number. Curiosity won the best of him and when he saw the text message his heartbeat went wild.

_Hey Peeta! I'm Katniss, just wanted to know how your ankle was. I hope you feel better. See you tomorrow at school_

Katniss Everdeen had texted him. Not even in his wildest dreams this was possible. Texts messages weren't a curiosity. Text messages from Katniss were. He knew she wasn't asking, well, really asking about his ankle.

_Hey Katniss. Almost ready to run. Thanks,really. See you tomorrow : )_

When he pushed the send button he slapped himself. He shouldn't have sent that stupid icon, but still he smiled and looked at the screen. He had no idea that sometimes the happiness could present itself in the form of a text message.

Peeta smiled like a fool, forgetting for a moment that his family as he knew it was falling apart. He sighed deeply and called Delly. He was relieved when the call went to voicemail.

"Hey Dels, sorry for not picking up. We'll talk tomorrow. Bye!" Peeta left his cell on his night table.

He got a quick shower and then he went to bed, trying not to think. He heard his dad's heavy footsteps. He closed his eyes and feigned sleep. His dad put a warm hand on Peeta's arms and sighed. He mumbled a soft 'good night son' and left the room. Peeta opened his eyes, knowing his mother didn't have any plans to say good night to him.

* * *

So,I gave names to Katniss and Peeta's parents. Hard task. I love Peeta's dad.

Feel free to tell what you think.I'm fixing all the mistakes in the chapters,

See you next time

Bye!


	5. Chapter 5

Hello children! I've been re-reading all the chapters to fix the mistsakes in grammar and spelling,I'm trying my best,this is actually practice for me,for future projects here in ff and other places.

So,here it goes.

* * *

Peeta looked for Katniss the entire morning. After he told Delly the events after the match on Friday, she had hugged him tearfully.

"I think I love her a bit too" Delly said smiling. It was lunch break and Peeta was hoping to see Katniss or at least Prim, to ask her about her sister.

The moment he set a foot on the cafeteria there was a loud crow cheering for him, and everyone was clapping him in the back, like some kind of hero. He walked through the crow with his crutches, grateful for the support and a bit embarrassed for the attention, but his eyes keep looking for a long braid among the smiling faces. He decided to use his new best friend, the cell phone.

_Hey! Where are you? I can't see you in the cafeteria. _

He waited anxiously for the reply. There was a conversation in the table in which Madge, Gale, Delly and others where saying something about prom. Whatever. His phone was in his hand and when he heard it rang he dropped his juice box.

_Hello! I'm in the labs corridor_

Peeta smiled, getting on his feet.

_Nerd. Don't move.I'm going._

"Where are you going?" Delly asked, while he grabbed his crutches.

"Places" he said winking at her. Delly smiled at his best friend and gave him thumbs up.

He walked as quickly as the crutches would allow him because the lab's corridor was on the other side of the cafeteria.

When he arrived he was a bit out of breath and his armpits were a bit sore, but he didn't care. He spotted Katniss sitting on a big window, the sun entering in its full force. She was sitting cross-legged on the windowsill, eating an apple, a book open in her lap.

She smiled at him when she heard the sound of the crutches.

"Are you agoraphobic" he asked, sitting next to her. She frowned.

"No, why?" she asked, confused.

"You are eating here, alone" he said, placing the crutches next to him and pulling his backpack from his back. Katniss smiled and shrugged.

"Oh, no, but it is quieter in here. Is that really agoraphobia?" she said, dropping the core of the apple in a small bag and closing the book. Peeta took a brown paper bag and handed to her, ignoring her question.

"As a thank you gift" he said smiling sadly. Katniss opened the bag and looked inside. She curse under her breath

"I should tell you that you shouldn't have, but these cheese buns are way too delicious to not accept them" she said, chewing. "But still, you don't have to thank me, really" she added with her mouth full, looking like a squirrel. Peeta laughed and Katniss offered one. He shook his head.

"So, how where things on Saturday?" she asked cautiously " Sorry, you don't have to tell me" she added quickly. Peeta suddenly lost his smile and frowned a bit.

"It's ok, you are going to hear about it anyway" he said taking a deep breath, running his hand through his hair. "They are getting divorced and actually my mom was waiting for me to leave for college to settle the divorce" he said looking at the floor.

Katniss swallowed the last bite of the cheese bun, looking at him carefully.

"At least she was waiting for me to leave, but when I said what I said…I guess I speed up the process" His shoulder's sagged.

"I'm really sorry Peeta" she said. He looked at her and shrugged his shoulders with a sad grimace.

"But you shouldn't feel guilty, their marriage isn't over because you said that once, is their marriage and they are your parents, but is not your fault" she placed a light hand on his forearm. He sighed deeply.

"Yeah, my dad said the same" he chuckled "And my mom didn't say a word to me after she told me they were getting divorced. She even said that we needed flour for the bakery and that she was leaving…" Peeta looked at his watch "…to District 4 in 10 minutes"

"She's leaving?" Katniss asked,surprised. Peeta nodded

"Yeah, my grandparents moved when she married my dad" Peeta's voice was a bit bitter and Katniss suddenly hated that awful woman. "But at least I can do what I want about college" he added, sensing he was killing the possibility of talking to Katniss with his family problems. She smiled brightly at the news.

"That's awesome Peeta" she said punching him lightly in the arm. She hoped he had forgotten she had promised to pose.

"Yeah, and that means that you have to pose for me, you agreed" he said, pointing at her with his finger. She frowned.

"Did I?" she asked herself and he laughed, nodding.

"Yes, you did" he said and the suddenly he was a bit nervous "I have to ask you for another favor" she looked at him, a bit scared. He laughed "Relax, you will be fully clothed"

Katniss blushed and laughed nervously, scratching her nose.

"Don't worry, actually what I need is your truck, because we need flour and my brother took the one from the bakery to moved my mom's stuff to 4" he said, blushing and scratching nervously the back of his neck. Katniss relaxed and wave her hand dismissively

"Of course, that's no problem at all" she said, relaxing. The truth was that she was really scared about that possibility of posing naked, but she knew that Peeta would never ask her for something like that. Peeta smiled and blushed, thinking that actually he really wanted to ask her to pose naked, but maybe it was too soon, obviously. He didn't want to sound like a creep asking her that. Now. Maybe in a few weeks…

"Thanks Katniss, really" he said honestly. She sobered up and smiled at him shyly and shrugged. The bell rang, pointing the end of the lunch period. They gather their things and started walking.

"So, flour. Can you lift the bags with the cast?" she asked, walking slowly next to him.

He made a face and laughed

"Well obviously" he said very matter-of-factly. And without warning and with an unknown speed for Katniss, he took both crutches under one arm and with the other arm he lifted Katniss over his shoulder. She shrieked with laughter. "See, and I think you are lighter than a sack of flour" he said, loving how ticklish she was on her sides.

"Put me down Peeta" she gasped, between laughter and annoyance.

"No, that's fine" he said. "Now, where are the labs? Which way should I go?" and with each questions he turned around, spinning Katniss and tickling her side, making her laugh even harder, leaving her breathless.

"Hello assface" Peeta froze when he saw Madge in front of him so that Katniss' ass was looking at her. She was looking at them with a surprised face, with her arms crossed over her chest.

Katniss jumped from Peeta's shoulder, still red in the face from laughing. She looked at Madge, fixing her shirt, and cleared her throat.

"Hello Margaret" Katniss said, her voice very formal, but still breathing heavily. Peeta chuckled. "We should be heading toward Chemistry" she said. Madge laughed at her. She looked at Peeta "Goodbye Peeta" Katniss added, walking past him and throwing him a shy smile.

"Bye Katniss" he said with a goofy grin. Madge patted him on the head and ran to meet Katniss. He couldn't believe what had just happened. It had been a bold move. He knew that Katniss wasn't a very physical person, but goofing around with her was the best that could ever happen. He was going to see her again. He loved flour, he really did.

* * *

"You asked her out on a date to buy flour?" Delly asked, shocked, painting a drawing that Peeta had made her to stop the questions she was shooting him about Katniss. Cleary it wasn't working. They were outside the school in their free period, enjoying the warm weather.

"It's not a date" Peeta explained, not very sure. "You are crossing the line" he added, pointing at the drawing. Delly huffed in annoyance and put the drawing aside. "She's helping me because I need a truck…"

"And she is your drive?" Delly threw a pencil at Peeta. He caught it and put it in his pencil case.

"It's not a date Delly, she's helping me because we need the flour and Will took the bakery truck to 4 to moved my mom's stuff" Peeta said, closing his backpack. Delly sobered up when she heard about his mom and made an 'oh'

"Ok, fine but still, you're going to buy flour, but then you are going to draw her and you are going to be alone" Delly said, folding the drawing. Peeta shrugged and realized that he wasn't nervous (well, maybe a bit) but he really was anxious. He couldn't wait for Friday. For the first time in many years he was free on a Friday night. The Panthers of District 12 were travelling to play against the District 11 Oxen.

On Tuesday Katniss had told him that Haymitch was closing the shop on Friday because he was travelling with the team as well, so she had the day off to help him with the portraits and the flour.

By Friday Peeta was almost walking on the walls. The entire cafeteria was cheering for the Panthers, so there wasn't much room or silence to talk. Peeta felt a soft tap on his shoulder.

Katniss looked nervous and Peeta realized that Prim, who was on the next table, was looking at them expectantly.

"Hey Peeta, so, the flour today" Katniss asked in a small voice over the noise. Peeta smiled and nodded.

"And the portrait" he added. Katniss smiled shyly and looked down. She nodded and looked at him.

"Yeah, I couldn't forget about that" she said "So, what time should I pick you up? "

Peeta though a bit, estimating the time for the sketches and the game.

"Maybe we could go straight from school?" Peeta asked, a bit nervous. Katniss nodded and smiled.

"So at 3 I'll see you in the parking lot" she said, with a nod .She bided goodbye at everyone in the table and left the cafeteria in a quick pace. Prim winked at her sister when she passed her table.

He realized that Madge, Delly, Gale and now Prim, were looking at him with a smile on their faces. He was pretty sure Delly was going to cry from the joy. He feigned surprise and stood up.

"Class" he said, smiling brightly. Gale chuckled. Peeta clapped him on the shoulder "You are going to kick District 11 ass today, I know it" Gale smiled

"Thanks man. Have fun buying flour with Catnip" Gale said, sobering up. Peeta understood the subtext in his words and demeanor and nodded.

He left the cafeteria, with his crutches. Only two more classes and he would spend the afternoon with Katniss.

* * *

Katniss was walking to the parking lot when she heard a 'psst'. Prim was on the door of a bathroom, looking at her. She jogged to meet her little sister. Prim was leaving to District 12 with the cheerleader team. The Panthers had left after lunch, leaving the school almost empty.

"What's up little duck?" Katniss asked looking at Prim.

"Just wanna make sure you are not nervous for the date" Prim said, hugging Katniss. She laughed when Katniss huffed.

"Primrose, I've told you it is not a date" she said. They had had that conversation over a million times before going to bed. Prim rolled her eyes.

"Fine, whatever. So, here we go again. I called you to make sure you are not nervous about spending a lot of time, alone, just the two of you, with a boy you find attractive" Katniss opened her mouth to denied it but Prim held her hand with authority " and don't you try to denied it, because you do, and there is nothing wrong about that, we talked about this a million times Katniss" Prim finished and Katniss remained still and silence.

"We are friends" Katniss said stubbornly and Prim dropped her head in her hand in frustration. She looked at her watch "come on, its 14.45, you should be leaving to District 11 now"

Prim was still with her head on her hand, covering her eyes, so Katniss was guiding her through the corridors. It was a little game they had when they were little. One would lead the other, even with her eyes closed.

The entire team of cheerleaders were outside waiting for the bus, that arrived almost at the same time that the Everdeen sisters. Delly and Madge waved at them

"So, have fun buying flour today" Delly said, winking at Katniss. Prim giggled.

The coach yelled and all the cheerleaders' marched up the bus. Delly hugged Katniss and mumbled something 'like sisters'. Madge hugged her too.

"Goodbye, wonderful human being" she said kissing her on the cheek. Katniss laughed.

"Take care Margaret" Katniss said, watching Delly and Madge walk to the bus. Prim was looking at her, a knowing smile on her face. Katniss rolled her eyes.

"Fine. It's kind of a date, but please, stop with the pressure that something is going to happen, because I'm going to over think everything and you know I'm really good at over thinking things, so yes, is kind of a date, because we are spending time just the two of us, but none of us put the words, the actual words so…" Katniss couldn't finish because Prim had hugged. Katniss wondered if Prim was going crazy.

"I love you, take care" her sister said and kissed her on the cheek quickly "If you need anything call me" and she walked away. Katniss smiled when Prim turned around.

"Prim!" Katniss yelled. She turned around "Tuck your tail in little duck" Prim beamed at her and ran to the bus.

She sighed and turned around to find her truck and Peeta. Yes, she did find Peeta attractive and no, there was nothing wrong with that.

Prim, Delly and Madge had talked so much about this almost date that Katniss was a bit confused. She needed to see Peeta, talk to him, and know him, because the theory was good until some point. She needed to see facts, the real person and then draw her own conclusions. It was not a date after all; she was just being a good Samaritan.

He was waiting for her next to her truck, leaning against it. He smiled at her.

"It's flour time" he said. Katniss smiled at him and unlocked the passenger's seat for Peeta.

"It sure is" Katniss agreed, walking around the truck. She smiled at Peeta and she was certain that buying flour would be interesting.

* * *

So,chapter n°5 is here. I'm still without a beta,but I triple checked everything,but still,mistakes are expected.

The story is coming to an a few chapters left,so feel free to tell what you think,etc.

Next chapter is loaded (winkwink).It's ready,I'm just fixing a few things

Byee


	6. Chapter 6

So,chapter 6.

My usual lines;sorry for the grammar and spelling mistakes.

Here it goes.

* * *

"Do you know how to get to The Hob?" Peeta asked. Katniss nodded without looking at him.

"Buckle up" she said, looking at both sides "my dad used to take me there when I was little" and of course Peeta knew that. Mr. Everdeen was a hunter, but Peeta didn't want to ask about Mr. Everdeen.

"Oh, also, I forgot to tell you, Haymitch has some friends in Capitol College, in the Art Department" Katniss said looking at him briefly before looking ahead again. He was looking at her with her jaw hanging. "And I told him about you, and he was going to talk to him, he said he's nice, his name is Cinna"

"Really?! Katniss that was really nice of you" Peeta said, dumbstruck "that's so nice of you. You're awesome, really" Katniss smiled and shrugged.

"He told me he ran into your dad and they talked a bit,but I just told him how good your paintings were, so, the credit is yours really" Katniss said, blushing a bit. Peeta just looked at her.

"I would hug you, but it would be dangerous" Peeta said, smiling, looking at the road.

"Then we'll save the hug for later" Katniss said, feeling bold and thankful for the fact that she wasn't looking at him in the eye. Peeta beamed at her.

They entered The Hob parking lot. It was a huge wholesale market with few cars in the parking lot. They made their way to the entrance when Peeta grabbed a cart and offered it to Katniss. She looked at him confused.

"Come, I'll give you a ride" Peeta offered. Katniss looked at the cart and laughed.

"No way" she said. But, again, Peeta grabbed her from the back of her knees and her back and put her on the cart. Katniss yelped

"You have to stop doing that" she said. He was looking up at her, smiling.

"You are way too light to not do it" he said, chuckling, as if the world was divided between things that could be lifted and not. And he loved the way she fitted against him.

Katniss was sitting cross-legged in the cart facing him. Peeta gave her the crutches, put his casted leg on the front bar, his arms on the handle and with his good leg he propelled to the entrance of The Hob. Katniss' knuckles were white from grabbing the sides of the cart, but she had an excited look on her face.

"We used to do this with my brother when we were children" Peeta explained, smiling like a child stealing a cookie.

"So, last week?" Katniss asked, smiling at his goofy grin.

"Shut up and enjoy the ride" laughed Peeta. Katniss laughed out loud when Peeta made a soft 'weee' while he was picking up speed.

They reach the entrance with their breaths heavy from laughter.

"Miss, that is not a toy, could you get out, please?" They turned around and saw an old woman with a clip folder on her hands looking at them with a bored expression.

Katniss blushed and stood up quickly mumbling almost a million 'Sorry' per second.

Peeta looked at the older woman.

"I'm sorry" he looked at the name tag "Sae, it was my idea. It won't happen again" he said, with a charming smile. Sae smiled brightly. Peeta was a natural at charming.

"All right dears, be good now" she said, leaving them. Katniss was still supporting herself in Peeta's shoulders. Peeta turned his head back to Katniss and feigned surprise.

"Hey Katniss, are you a regular costumer in The Hob?" Katniss swatted him lightly on the shoulder.

"Help me to get down or I'll fall" she said, nervous. Peeta picked her from the waist and helped her jump to the floor. She landed with a soft sighed

"Are you ok? I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable" Peeta said, scratching the back of his neck nervously, regretting what he had done. He was being too forward by picking her up and touching her all the time, they were still knowing each other. The only reason they had started talking was because his mom had beat him with a rolling pin.

"No, that's fine. I thought that I was going to fall" she said, smiling a bit and patting him on the shoulder with a friendly gesture.

Peeta sighed in relief, Katniss picked the cart and started walking. Peeta looked at her, feeling his stomach knotted. She turned around and smiled.

"So, where's the bakers dreamland?" she asked, looking at the long alleys. Peeta laughed and showed her the way.

The Hob was a big store that had the most eclectic choice of products to sell. From flour to wheelbarrows, anything could be found in The Hob. They spend almost half hour looking at meaningless things, talking about school and safe topics like football and food. Katniss was a food enthusiast; she could talk about it for hours.

"And eat it too" she said smiling and patting her stomach. Peeta could see a small tummy under her t-shirt, but she was so petite that he almost couldn't see it.

They reached the bakery supplies in the last alley of the store.

The big bags of flour were piled against the wall next to the kitchen supplies. There was a shelf full of rolling pins.

"Not a fan of those, that's for sure" Peeta said in a sombre tone. Katniss grimaced. "Sorry" said Peeta quickly.

"Don't worry" she said. She looked at him from the corner of her eye. "I wanted to ask you about how were you about all that, but I didn't want to be nosy" she said honestly.

"That's okay Katniss, you are not being nosy. I mean, my dad feels like crap, because he knew thing were not okay, but he didn't expected it to end so suddenly, me neither, to be honest" Katniss was listening quietly at him "but they thought they were doing a favour to me and my brothers by being be together but they were not" he said, looking at Katniss.

"I'm sorry, I'm giving you too much information that you don't want to hear" Peeta said, blushing a bit. Katniss shook her head.

"Don't say that, if it helps you…" Katniss said, smiling briefly. They reached the flour and Peeta put the heavy bag in the cart with an expert move. Katniss pulled the cart and they headed to the cash register line.

"Do you have any plans for college?" Peeta asked her and Katniss shook her head.

"Not really. I'm staying in District 12 to work, Prim wants to be a doctor, so I'm going to help her" .

"And what do you want to do?'" Peeta asked, his voice serious. Katniss looked at him confused.

"I just told you" Katniss said, lifting her eyebrows. Peeta shook his head.

"You told me what Prim wants, I'm asking you what you want" Peeta said, emphasizing the word 'you'. Katniss frowned.

"I want to help Prim" Katniss explained, stating the obvious.

"Yes I know, but, you are going to keep working in SportShop for the rest of your life so Prim can go to college?" Peeta was already regretting his words. It was none of his business, even if he thought it was. He had no right in her business. He had crossed a line, he could see it in Katniss' face

"Sorry" he said. Katniss stopped the cart, her ears red, furious.

"I'm sorry if my plans are not up to your standards', not everyone gets a scholarship, you know" she said, angry. Hell, Peeta Mellark was an asshole, sweet guy her ass.

"I'm sorry Katniss, really, it's none of my business" Peeta said, looking guilty

"No, it's not" she said, breathing heavily. Peeta ran his hand through his hair.

Katniss just nodded and moved the cart towards the cash register line. There was an icy silence and Peeta absolutely hated himself. Katniss was looking stubbornly ahead, keeping a slow pace but just barely. Taking his last chance Peeta stopped all of the sudden and gently grabbed her arm.

"I'm sorry, really, I just…You're so smart and funny and great, and I just thought that maybe you wanted to do something aside from work" he said everything in a rush, quickly, looking at the floor. Katniss was silence. He looked at her and she was looking at him with her mouth a bit open.

"Please don't be mad" Peeta asked lamely. Katniss looked at him, frowning "Please don't be mad, I'm sorry" he whispered making a sad puppy face, tugging a bit from her jacket. Katniss' looked at him and smiled a bit.

"It's all right Peeta, I'm not mad" she said, still surprised from his compliment.

"Because is none of my business, I know and it's okay to stay here, there's nothing wrong with that, I know that and you are staying with Prim…" he was rambling. Katniss laughed and lift a hand to stop him.

"Peeta, stop it, its fine" she said, smiling. Peeta stopped and sighed in relief.

"So, we are cool" he said. She nodded, but Peeta was still with his hand around her elbow and was looking at her intensely.

"Your hand is in my elbow" she said, blushing under his gaze. She couldn't believe he was looking at her in that way. He cleared his throat and let go of her. With shy smiles they left the alley and went to pay for the flour.

* * *

"So all I have to do is stay still?" Katniss asked sitting in Peeta's kitchen. She was swallowing the last bites of cheese buns Peeta had prepared for her. Peeta nodded and sat down, opening a big block of thick paper. He had charcoals in his hand. He picked the remote control and put the game.

"Look at the TV behind me" Peeta asked her, a bit nervous. She looked at the TV, her eyes moving between him and the screen. "If something happens tell me" he added, not really into the game, but focusing in Katniss forehead.

"So, I stay still, do I have to smile or something like that?"Katniss asked, looking at the game. "Can I talk? Or me asking you if I can talk is disturbing the drawing?" Peeta laughed out loud

"Yes you can talk, just don't move. Tell me what is going on with the game" Peeta asked her, beginning with the outline of her head.

"Ok, now the cheerleader team is making its way to the field…Oh, there's Prim with Delly, Madge. They are dancing and cheering. I could copy the moves to you but that would break the rule of 'stay still" Peeta laughed. The braid was over her shoulder. A few locks next to her face. She had a lovely nose.

The District 12 Panthers had a tough game without Peeta, but Gale was doing a great job. The team easily followed him and by the end of the fourth quarter the victory was for District 12.

"Well, it's a good thing that the team didn't miss me" Peeta said, turning around to see one of the last plays "Gale should have been the quarterback from the beginning" his words where a bit bitter. Katniss looked at the back of his head.

"But Coach Boggs did a right call to name you quarterback" Katniss said, not knowing if this was right, she didn't understand the game, but if Peeta had leaded the Panthers to the semifinals it wasn't because of some holy force. Peeta chuckled and turned around and shrugged.

"At least the scholarship will end in good hands" Peeta said, smiling a bit, erasing a few lines from the drawing.

"Yes" Katniss said, very still "since we were children Gale's dreams were about the football field"

"How long did you know each other?" Peeta asked, trying to sound casual. Katniss frowned, thinking.

"A lot" Katniss said smiling. Peeta nodded and luckily the phone rang, he didn't want to know how long Gale had been in Katniss life.

He was surprised when he heard his mother's voice on the other side. He noticed that the game had ended a few seconds ago. The images on the screen showed the Panthers hugging each other and shaking hands with the District 11 players. Katniss looked at Peeta and he was frowning. She didn't want to intrude, so she picked a napkin and a piece of charcoal and tried to draw something, but she couldn't help to hear some pieces of the conversation.

"…my ankle is fine. I'm gonna use a cane now, the crutches are very uncomfortable" Peeta was running his hand though his hair and Katniss noticed how the biceps flexed and his t shirt lift a bit and it showed a bit of his underwear. Katniss moved her eyes from Peeta, feeling her cheeks redden.

" I'm with Katniss now, she volunteered to pose" Peeta said and turned around to looked at her. He lift his shoulder's and the palm of his hand and made a shocked face. Katniss smiled "…yeah, she's my friend from school…yeah, the girl from that night…" he suddenly became serious and turned around. Katniss heard him mumbling something and the sound of the phone being hung.

"So, my mom just called to ask if I was okay"Peeta explained, confused.

"That's good I guess" she offered. Peeta shrugged and looked at his draw.

"I guess. So, here it is" Peeta said, not bothering to be subtle about changing the subject. Katniss picked the block. The drawing was perfect. It was beautiful. She felt a warm feeling in her chest. Was this the way Peeta saw her?

"Wow, if Capitol College doesn't accept you, I'm gonna make sure they have a slowly death" she said in a low voice. Peeta's jaw dropped.

"You can be really scary for someone so small" he said. Katniss laughed in a wicked way. She handed him the draw again and stood up.

"Yes I know" she said stretching. She looked at her watch "I should go"

Peeta nodded, wanting for her to stay, but at least now they were friends. They acknowledge each other. They were on speaking terms. She liked his cheese buns and he liked her stew.

He walked her to the door, with the crutches, with a slow pace. He opened the door and step outside. The air was a bit chilly, and Katniss shivered a bit. Peeta scratched the back of his neck.

"So…thanks for posing" Peeta said slowly. He smiled at her

"Always a pleasure, I'm a natural at staying still, so" she said grinning.

"I guess if you are, that means that you'll do it again" Peeta said, eagerly. Katniss sighed and crossed her arms over her chest to cover herself from the cold.

"Sure, we are friends, right? And that what friends do" Katniss said, punching him lightly on his arm. Peeta smiled a bit, but then he frowned. He sighed and shook his head slightly, looking at the floor. He swallowed and lift his head to look at her, frowning. She was looking at him, frowning a bit too.

"I just can't" he said, not making any sense. Katniss looked at him, ready to ask "I mean, I just can't be your friend, I don't wanna be your friend" Peeta was looking at her. Hurt crossed her face and her eyes filled with tears.

"I can't be your friend Katniss, I don't wanna do that, I wanna be more than that" he said, feeling very vulnerable all of the sudden. Katniss swallowed her tears and her mouth formed an 'o'. She was very still

"I…" she said, feeling her mouth was made of sand. Her heart was beating way too fast and her knees felt weak. She couldn't form a coherent though. Words were jumping in her brain, trying to form a sentence, but it felt impossible, the pounding of her heart on her ears was way too loud. She didn't know what to do in these situations.

So she did what she was good at. "I should go" she said, feeling like garbage, a coward for not being able to say the truth to Peeta.

He looked at her, his eyes filled with tears. She turned around and walked to her truck.

"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, but I needed to say it" he said, his voice thick. Katniss stopped next to the truck's door, trying to still her beating heart. She counted to 10 and made a tiny list of the events 'Peeta said he wanted to be more that friends and I ran away,almost' She thought, watching her hand on the truck handle. She should be happy. Why she was making this a drama? She remembered her mom's words and Prim's advice. And Gale's. She breathed and turned around. Peeta was looking at the floor.

"Ok" she said. At first a weird noise came out. She cleared her throat

"Ok, if you don't want to be my friend, then I don't want to be yours" she said, crossing her arms over her chest. Peeta lift his head and narrowed his eyes. She was smiling a bit. Shy. And beautiful, so beautiful.

She made her way to Peeta slowly. Without wasting any more time, he hugged her. Her arms hugged him tightly. Her face was pressed against his t-shirt and she just loved how he smelled.

"I can't stand the idea of being just your friend" he said, kissing her temple. Katniss whispered his name and his lips found hers. Slowly, they were still foreign to each other's lips but Katniss sighed when she felt Peeta's stubble moving against her skin.

They broke apart and he hugged her to him, loving the way she hid in the crook of his neck. He kissed her neck and smiled when she shivered. Her hands were still on his back. He sighed happily.

"What fabric softener do you use?"Katniss' voice was muffled and he felt her breath against his skin. The question took him by surprise and he laughed out loud, throwing his head backwards. Katniss smiled and looked at him.

"I don't know. Something with an S and an M" he said looking at her. She was looking at him, her eyes alive with happiness. He bent down to kiss her. It was soft. Short. Lovely. Katniss sighed and leaned her head on his chest.

"So, I guess there's no room for being friends, right?" he asked, afraid he would break the happy bubble. Katniss looked at him, frowning. She unclasped her hand from his back and took a step back. Peeta panicked.

"I guess not" Katniss said before he could freak out "but maybe we could take things slow" she asked. Peeta sighed with relief and took her hands.

"Of course Katniss" he said, squeezing her hands, swinging them between them. She smiled at him.

"I should go now, it's getting late" she said, standing in tiptoes and kissing him on the lips. He leaned into her and hugged her tightly against him. They kissed again and only broke apart when Mr. Mellark appeared from the bakery. Katniss blushed and sputtered nonsense about the time. Peeta was smiling sheepishly at his dad.

He walked her to her truck and watched her leave. He had a permanent smile stuck on his face. His das smiled at him when she saw Katniss drawing on the table.

"She's a lovely girl Peeta" his dad said, looking at his son.

"Yes, she is" said Peeta proudly. He took the drawing and made his way upstairs. That night he dreamt about bags of flours, rolling pins, charcoals and long braids.

* * *

So,here it !

Points to your house if you find the Office reference/line.

Feel free to review and of course,thank to everyone whoe review,favorited,followed etc.

Next chapter is on its way,so,see soon

Bye!

Mari


	7. Chapter 7

_Hello children! Here it is chapter 7 and thanks to the great __**Thynerdgurl**__ for being such a great beta and a big shout out to __**arabturky,**__ for her help; go check the stories of these authors!_

* * *

Katniss was walking through the empty corridors of the school. There were full of banners reminding the students (as if anyone could forget) about Prom in two weeks and obviously, proud images and phrases of the Panthers team that had won State two weeks ago. District 12 was still celebrating the event and all the players were welcomed from District 2 like heroes.

She had left Biology earlier to complete a paper she was working on for a symposium she had tomorrow.

The teacher, Mrs. Purnia, was so excited when Katniss mentioned her liking for Biology and in the last twenty minutes of the class she had sent her to the library to do research

She was reading the list of books made by her teacher, when a hand grabbed her by the waist and pulled her inside a supplies closet.

She yelped but a big hand covered her mouth.

"Are you skipping class, Everdeen?" Peeta's low voice was in her ear and she shivered. She turned around and hugged him, shaking her head. He trailed kisses from her neck to her cheek.

"No, just going to the library" she said closing her eyes and craning her head for better access "What were you doing in the supplies closet? You never mentioned your taste for bleach" Peeta laughed and looked at her.

"One of my many secrets'" he said, looking at her lips. She beamed and he kissed her hungrily, pressing her to him.

Almost two months had passed since the day they had decided to be 'not friends', but the words 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend' were never implied…yet. So they were non friends kissing each other in supply closets and behind the bleachers, and her truck, and the back of the bakery, and the warehouse from SpotShop when Katniss was in charge of closing on Tuesdays. Nobody knew it yet and it was kind of exciting to have this secret affair that was hard to hide at times.

"Wait." Katniss stopped Peeta when he kissed her neck again. She was breathing hard and took his head on her hands. Peeta opened his eyes, but his eyelids looked heavy with longing that made Katniss felt a stir in her stomach "You left a hickey and Prim asked me about it." Katniss said, trying to still her breathing and Peeta shrugged.

"It's not my fault that you bruise like a peach and certainly is not my fault that you have such a lovely neck." he said playfully, leaning to kiss her neck.

"Hold your horses, champ" she said laughing. He hugged her, kissed her shoulder and held her at arm's length. He knew how painful it could be having class after kissing Katniss.

"What did you say to Prim?" he asked curiously and Katniss shrugged.

"Something about the symposium, that I was allergic to one of the plants while I was doing field research." she said, looking at her watch "Which is why I have to go to the library." she said, reaching for the door handle. Peeta stepped on her way

"Ditch the plants and stay with me, Everdeen?" he asked, grabbing her hand but Katniss shook her head.

"Sorry Mellark, but I have to finish this." she said, picking her bag pack from the floor. Peeta pouted and Katniss kissed him on the cheek. She opened the door and looked both ways before leaving the supply closet with Peeta followed her, limping a bit because he was still using a cane.

"Any news about Capitol College?" she asked him. He had sent his portfolio but there was still no answer and as the days went by Peeta's hopes about being picked were falling. He shook his head and shrugged.

"I guess it was not supposed to be." he said sadly. They had reached the library and stopped at the door.

"Don't say that, you're a great artist." she encouraged him He smiled at her and was about to lean to kiss her when the library door opened. He stopped, looked up and saw the daughter of Cray leaving. He never could remember her name, something with a P. She was a very voluptuous girl that knew how to use her attributes. Her long blonde hair was tied up in a tall ponytail.

She was very obvious about her intentions with Peeta. In the past few years she had mentioned several times that they should 'hang out' and according to Delly that was code for her 'whore-ish activities'.

"Peeta! Hey." she said chewing gum, ignoring Katniss. Peeta smiled politely.

"Hey!" he said "What are you doing in the library?" he asked, feigning curiosity. Katniss snickered. Cray's daughter looked at Katniss and narrowed her eyes.

"Homework. Or something like that, whatever." she said laughing and Katniss cringed "So, listen, tomorrow there's a party at my house, you should definitely go. Word is that is going to be wild." she said, touching his arm and winking making Peeta blush. Katniss was ready to jump at her jugular.

"Oh, tomorrow is no good, I have…a few things to do." he said, knowing that the word symposium would be too much for her and she pouted. Katniss breathed deeply.

"What's more important that having fun?" she asked, winking shamelessly. Peeta gulped audibly ran a hand through his hair. Katniss huffed, annoyed.

"I should go." Katniss said to Peeta. He pleaded with his eyes to not leave him alone, but Katniss couldn't take it anymore. She looked at Cray's daughter and nodded at her before closing the library's door.

"You're welcome." she said smiling. Peeta frowned and asked her why he should say thank you.

"Well obviously Katherine was latched on to you." Cray's daughter was laughing and before he could say anything, the library door opened and Katniss stepped out, threw her arms around Peeta's neck and gave him a searing kiss on the lips. He responded eagerly, wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her feet from the floor.

They broke up the kiss, breathing heavily; Katniss pecked him on the lips for the last time and entered the library once again without a second glance. Peeta ran a hand through his hair and looked at Cray's daughter.

"Her name is Katniss and close your mouth, a fly could get in." he said smiling. He walked away, smiling to himself, still feeling Katniss' lips on his.

…

Her hands were sweaty. She was walking back and forth in a small room that led to the small auditorium of the school. She could hear the voice of the person presenting. She shouldn't have agreed to this, she hated speaking in public. And to make things worse, her mom, Prim, Delly, Madge, Gale and Peeta were on the audience. Of course, Peeta had already heard the lecture a few times. The last one had ended with Katniss straddling Peeta on her couch, kissing him hungrily. It was a good thing Prim had texted her to tell her she was going home with Leevy…

Mrs. Purnia opened the door and beamed at Katniss, placing a soothing hand on Katniss' shoulder.

"Everdeen, don't be nervous." she said, looking at Katniss' pained expression "In a few minutes I'll call you." Katniss nodded and counted to ten. The door opened again and Katniss began to panic, but it was Peeta. He closed the door behind him.

He smiled at her and opened his arms at her as she hugged him, thankful for his soothing presence.

"You look beautiful." he said kissing the top of her head. She was wearing a soft orange dress that reached her knees and her hair was hanging loose "Don't be nervous." he said, looking at her and Katniss smiled nervously.

"I'm scared that I might screw this up. I'm not very good with words." she said in a timid voice. This was so important to her, because it felt like a link to her dad. He had loved the woods so much and taught her everything with such passion that this project was indeed a big deal; she had also realized what she would like to do after school.

He pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You…you have no idea the effect you can have. You made the soil sound interesting, Katniss. Just because you are going to be on that stage, Delly is listening to people talk about Biology, which she hates, but she came because you are here, you are so great that I feel like the luckiest guy alive to be with you, really." he said, looking at her, squeezing her hand. Katniss looked at him with her mouth slightly open.

"You are...Peeta. I'm..." Katniss mumbled, stuttering, overwhelmed.

"Everdeen, it's your turn." Mrs. Purnia called. Peeta kissed her on the lips very softly.

"Go and kick some biological ass." he said. Katniss was still dumbstruck. She walked slowly to the door with Peeta holding her hand "I'll be there when you finish. Find me in the crowd, tell me everything and forget about the rest of the people." He kissed her knuckles and left her side to find his place on the crowd.

Katniss wanted to say something to him, anything, but the words died in her mouth.

...

She was ready. The moment she set a foot on stage everything became a blur. The rows in the small auditorium were crowded. She had no idea how many people liked Biology.

Following Peeta's advice she looked out for him on the crowd. And there he was, smiling at her. Like always.

She took a deep breath and began with the presentation.

…

"…and with that, find out new sources of climatic information in the tree's wood is only up to the investigator's creativity." said Katniss, closing her presentation. She folded her paper and thanked the boy that ran her Power Point presentation.

People were clapping. She looked at the first row and her mother, Prim, all her friends and Peeta were there, clapping and smiling at her. Her mom was wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

Mrs. Purnia beamed at her; Katniss bowed slightly and left the stage with the sound of Mrs. Purnia's voice thanking everyone for attending to the symposium.

She left the small room and saw Prim waiting for her in the corridor. She hugged her sister.

"That was boring Kat, but you were awesome." said Prim giggling. Katniss laughed. Madge, Gale, Delly and her mom hugged and congratulated her.

Peeta emerged from the auditorium and he was talking on the phone. She couldn't see his face. He was running a hand through his head. She tried to pay attention about something Delly was telling her, but she could only focus on Peeta.

He was wearing khaki pants that hid his cast and a white shirt. He looked great, he had combed his hair. His back was on her, so she could see his wide shoulders and his wonderful backside.

Delly said something and everyone laughed and Katniss laughed as well, but she had no idea why.

Peeta turned around with an impossible big grin on his face. They locked eyes and Peeta mouthed 'College, I'm in.' with his eyes glassy from happy tears.

Katniss made her way to him and hugged him, throwing her arms around his neck, laughing and saying 'I knew it' over and over again. And then, she kissed him on the lips.

It didn't matter that everyone were looking at them, not only her friends and family but some of the teachers too.

But it didn't matter, because he kissed her back and the he hugged her to him, hiding his face on her neck, laughing like a madman.

"Someone dump a bucket of water on these two." they heard Gale's voice and broke apart. Katniss was blushing, but she was looking at him with a sheepish smile and Peeta beamed at her.

Her mom looked at them with a shocked expression on her face and cleared her throat. Peeta took a step away from Katniss as she was on fire.

"So, the cat is out of the bag." Prim said smiling and Delly, still dumbstruck, released a squeal so high that only the bats could hear and lunched herself forward, hugging them.

"Oh my God, I'm so happy for you guys and Peeta was accepted to Capitol College and I just spend two hours listening to some Biology stuff and I just… I just need to see the sunlight" she was crying now and Peeta patted her on the shoulder.

"I'm sorry Delly; no one should be exposed to that much Biology so suddenly." Katniss said laughing. Delly took a step back wiping her eyes

"This is so great, let's celebrate outside the school's grounds." she sniffed and made her way to the door, with Madge and Gale on her heels. They winked at Peeta and Katniss.

"We'll leave you guys alone; I'm scared that Delly's head might explode." Madge said, patting Peeta on the shoulder and squeezing Katniss's hand. She mouthed 'good luck' and took Gale's hand, but he stood there and looked at Peeta in a menacing way, narrowing his eyes that made Peeta take a step back. Gale just nodded and patted Peeta on the head and left with Madge, still looking at them over his shoulder, but Katniss just laughed.

Peeta felt two pair of blue eyes on him and looked up to find Mrs. Everdeen and Prim looking at them.

"So, I guess Katniss has a boyfriend now." Prim said, smiling. Katniss mom was serious and a bit pale. Katniss was looking at her, not paying attention to Prim and Peeta. She lifted her eyebrows, asking and not bothering to deny the fact that Peeta Mellark was her boyfriend. Mrs. Everdeen only nodded and her eyes filled with tears. Peeta panicked looking between the three women. Prim was looking at her mom with an odd expression and tapped her shoulder, which took Mrs Everdeen out of her little trance.

"Mom." Prim muttered, worried about the pained expression in Peeta's face. Her mom cleared her throat and all her inner ghosts seem to fade away.

"I guess you're not the little child that climbed the cupboard to steal cookies anymore." Mrs. Everdeen said, looking at her daughter. Katniss blushed and looked at the ground, smiling a bit.

Peeta laughed at the image and elbowed Katniss.

"So, that's not new." he said, smiling and Katniss pocked him on the ribs. Prim laughed.

"Ok, let's have some food please." she said, linking her arm through her mom's elbow and walking outside "And Peeta can have a proper welcome to the family as Katniss' first boyfriend."

Peeta scratched the back of his neck and looked at Katniss, expectantly. Prim had mentioned twice the word boyfriend.

Katniss looked at him and smiled softly, as a sign of acceptance. Peeta grabbed her hand and smiled as well. They followed Prim and Mrs. Everdeen.

"You know, Prim said that I'm your boyfriend." whispered Peeta, looking closely at Prim and Mrs. Everdeen to make sure they were not listening.

"I've heard." said Katniss, trying to sound cool. Her insides were dancing and all she could think of was Peeta's hand on hers.

"And that means…" he asked, hopefully.

"It means…" Katniss followed.

"You are not helping; you're supposed to complete the sentence" Peeta stopped walking. Prim and her mom were outside, waiting for them. Katniss looked at him.

"Peeta, it's a word, don't make such a big deal, we've been hiding in supply closets for almost three months, and is not like we were kissing other people in supply closets, so…" Katniss said, tugging at his hand. Peeta gasped, shocked expression crossing his face.

"You mean that I wasn't allowed to kiss Miss. Purnia? Didn't I tell you?" Katniss laughed and Peeta smiled at her "I know, but I want to know if you're okay with using that word." Peeta asked, looking at her and Katniss, in a reassuring gesture she took a step forward, put her hands on his shoulders and kissed him on the lips, softly and then on the cheek, sending a wave of shivers down his spine.

"I would love to use that word with you, Peeta." she whispered on his ear, and Peeta hugged her.

"So, it's safe to say that you're my girlfriend?" Peeta asked and Katniss laughed, relieved.

"Yes Peeta, I'm your girlfriend, and your girlfriend is very hungry." she said, her voice muffled by his shirt. Peeta kissed the top of her head and took her hand again.

"Say that again." Peeta asked and Katniss looked at him, frowning.

"I'm hungry?" Katniss asked, unsure. Peeta grinned, shaking his head and Katniss sighed "I'm your girlfriend." Peeta nodded and Katniss rolled her eyes "Okay weirdo, let's eat or you'll gain and loose a girlfriend on the same day." she said, dragging Peeta outside, where Prim and Mrs. Everdeen were waiting for them.

…

"So, all I have to add is a bit of soda for the cake to be spongier?" Mrs. Everdeen was writing every little tip Peeta could give her about cakes.

"Mom, stop with the interrogation. You never bake." Prim said rolling her eyes and Katniss nodded, chewing on her third piece of cake.

They had dinner after Katniss presentation in her house but Peeta had insisted to stop by the bakery to pick up her favorite apple pie.

"But I might someday." Mrs. Everdeen said, looking a bit hurt by her daughter's lack of trust on her baking skills.

Katniss and Prim looked at each other and giggled at the fat lie her mom was telling but Peeta smiled at Mrs. Everdeen.

"Maybe I could teach you one day." he offered her and Mrs. Everdeen nodded, hopeful. Prim rolled her eyes.

"That would be nice, but Katniss hasn't learned anything about baking in these months of the secret affair?" Prim asked amused and Katniss kicked her under the table, making Prim yelped and throw a piece of bread at Katniss.

"Girl, that's enough." she said then apologized to Peeta, but he could only smile at her "But if I'm allowed to ask, how long have been dating?" she asked. Peeta cleared his throat and scratched his nose nervously.

"Almost four months." he answered a bit scared about not knowing what was next. Katniss was looking at her mom, scared. Mrs. Everdeen nodded and mumbled 'four months', looking at Katniss in a suspicious way and Katniss panicked, shaking her head. Prim opened her eyes very big and Peeta have no idea what the hell was going on.

"Mom, please don't ask…" Katniss started but her mom was faster.

"Did you have intercourse?" she asked and both girls groaned, covering her eyes at the same time and Peeta turned red, begging for an earthquake, so maybe the floor would open and maybe he could jump there and maybe the fall would leave him unconscious and maybe he didn't have to answer that question, because they didn't have intercourse but they have done stuff, a lot of stuff, but he couldn't said that to Katniss' mom.

"Mom, what the hell?" Katniss asked.

"Language, young lady. I'm not asking nonsense, you both are almost adults and I can image you have urges and needs and your bodies…"

"Please, mom, stop." said Katniss, still covering her eyes "We didn't have intercourse, please, stop, don't…just stop."

Peeta was looking at his glass and smiled sheepishly at Mrs. Everdeen.

"I respect Katniss very much Mrs. Everdeen, I don't want you to think otherwise." he stuttered and thankfully Prim saved him.

"Mom, you already made them feel pretty uncomfortable, at least have the talk to Katniss alone." she said, frowning "Peeta and Katniss know what they are doing."

Mrs. Everdeen sighed and Katniss smiled at her sister. Peeta still looked as if he wanted to be eaten with the earth so Katniss offered to take him to his house in a low whispered when Mrs. Everdeen took the dishes to the sink.

After an awkward goodbye Peeta left the house with Katniss. He sighed, relieved and jumped in the truck.

"I'm sorry about my mom." she said, leaning her head in the steering wheel, when they reached Peeta's house, after a silent drive. Peeta chuckled and shook his head.

"I understand, I mean, she just wanted to know." he said, playing with the end of her braid. Katniss huffed.

"At least we don't have to hide anymore." he said, taking her hand and Katniss smiled.

"That's a good thing." Peeta nodded and sighed, looking at her.

"So, this also means that I don't have to ask Mr. Purnia to Prom, right? I mean, she is funny, but I would rather go with you." He said and Katniss laughed.

"I would love to go with you Peeta." Katniss said and hugged him "But I would totally understand if you want to dance with Mrs. Purnia, she is awesome. If you don't do it I will."

Peeta laughed and kissed her deeply.

"We have a deal then." he said, opening the door and Katniss nodded.

They had a deal indeed, Katniss thought to herself as Peeta closed his house's door but she realized that Peeta would leave in a few weeks to college and she would stay. Yes, they had labeled their relationship and he had asked her to prom, but she could help but wonder what would happen with them after prom, separated by hundreds of miles, not being able to be together. She shouldn't be thinking this right now, she should be happy about Peeta and his chance to become an artist, but deep inside she was dreading the moment when she would finally have to let go of the boy with the bread.

* * *

_ So,here it is. I love Mrs. Purnia,don't know why._

_A bag full of frash game and cheese buns if you pick the Friends' line (it's tooo easy)_

_Warning for the next chapter:Buckle up, angst ahead._

_Thanks for the wonderful reviews and UmberELLA,please don't die_,_here it is the update :)_

_Byee_


	8. Chapter 8

_1-Thanks to my beta __**Thynerdgurl**__ for her super fast work._

_2- This chapter is a bit long, but necessary_

* * *

Katniss always felt that she wasn't very ladylike. Ever since she was a little girl, she would rather spend her time climbing trees and running through the woods, not bothering if dirt got stuck on her nails or if her clothes got dirty with mud, because Katniss felt like those things were a souvenir from having a really good time.

Later, when she started school she realized that most girls didn't share her interests and sometimes they would made fun of her because she didn't like to play with dolls. This was mainly because her family couldn't afford it and also, because Prim did enjoy playing with dolls and Katniss's priority was, even as a little child; Prim's happiness.

When Madge Undersee approached her in the last stall of the bathroom after Jessica Cray had made fun of Katniss' dirty nails and smiled at her, asking if she could go to the woods with her sometime, Katniss not only felt relieved, but also felt happy because Madge not only wanted to know the woods, but she also wanted to be her friend. So Katniss dried her tears with her sleeve and smiled at Madge, because Madge Undersee was everything a girl was supposed to be, but she wanted to Katniss to show her the woods.

So, Katniss always felt she wasn't very lady-like. But when she looked at herself in the mirror, almost ten years after crying because some mean kid had laughed at her because she had dirty nails, Katniss felt very lady-like. Her hair was really shiny and brushed neatly, the soft green dress fitted very well on her petite form, her face was made up nicely and her nails weren't bitten down. She felt really good, but what made her feel really, really lady-like was Peeta's goofy smile when he picked her up.

He looked very handsome in his three piece dark blue suit, he had cut his hair. When Katniss kissed his cheek she could smell the aftershave lotion on his smooth skin.

"You look…Katniss, you're beautiful." he breathed and kissed her on the cheek. He was aware that Mrs. Everdeen was looking at them with a smile on her face, but he could still remember the intercourse question.

The night was warm and the air felt loaded with excitement, Katniss couldn't help but smile. They danced and they laughed, Katniss felt more alive than ever before, so when the D.J. announced the last songs she couldn't help to feel a bit bummed.

She left the school hand in hand with Peeta. He was still humming one of the songs, swinging her hands between them.

"I had a lovely night." she said, suddenly, breaking the silence. Peeta smiled and nodded.

"I'm glad, me too." he said. His tie was loose and his hair was ruffled. He still was limping a bit, but he wasn't using the cane anymore.

"You looked very handsome Peeta." she said smiling and combing his hair with her fingers. He looked at her and blushed a bit. He tilted down his head to allow her to finish her task, closing his eyes. Her small hands moved from his hair to both sides of his face and he felt a soft peck on the lips. He opened his eyes and found Katniss eyes looking at him sadly.

"I'm going to miss you." she said, her voice was a bit shaky and Peeta panicked.

"But…I'm coming back, during holidays and long weekends I'm coming back and you can also go." he said, scared. Katniss nodded, but her eyes filled with tears "Katniss, are you breaking up with me?" he asked and the seconds it took Katniss to answered where endless.

"No, I'm not," she said and he hugged her tightly "but distance is going to be a bitch." he heard her muffled voice and laughed, relieved because she wasn't breaking up with him, but scared at the same time, because he knew her words would be true.

And unfortunately, distance proved to be much worse.

Katniss knew that the distance was difficult, but she didn't realize it until Peeta was miles away, she understood that it was not only difficult, but also painful.

They spoke on the phone every day; she loved how excited he sounded when he told her about campus, his new roommates and his classes. He was always on her mind, she was always thinking that after a long day in SportShop she would always stop by the bakery, eat something and just be together.

She missed him. The day he left she had been okay. He had tears in his eyes, but she stood by his side, containing hers, because she knew that a tear from her was enough to stop him from going and she couldn't ruin that for him.

A week after his departure she had started her Biology course in the District 12 Community College, she was helping Mrs. Purnia in the labs at school and she still had her job at SportShop with Haymitch Sometimes. Her busy schedule helped her to not miss Peeta so much, but he was always on her mind.

"Hey! I know you're in class, but I was doing a cross board and I needed a type of bread, four letters and I thought of you. Not that I think of you as bread, but I can't help to make the association. We never discuss your name, weird right? Anyway, things are slow here in SportShop. I miss you. This is Katniss, with a cross board to complete. Bye."

She heard a laugh and dropped the pen and the newspaper in the trash bin behind the main counter.

"That boy turned you into a sappy mess, sweetheart." Haymitch laughed. He was walking with a pile of bright orange cones. Behind him, carrying a pile of cones was Thom. Thom was one of the boys that played on the team that had won State a few months ago, Katniss also knew him from the Seam. He was really tall, with broad shoulders and hand that looked about the size of shovels, but his face had an easy going expression that erased all intimidation from his massive body.

"Hey Katniss." he greeted her in a low voice, his olive skin turning a bit red and his eyes fixing on the floor.

"Hey Thom, how's the team?" she knew Thom had a bad knee that kept him from pursuing a professional career, but Coach Boggs had offered him a spot in the defense training team.

"Good, full of cones." he said and lifted the cones, smiling a bit at her "How's Peeta?" he asked, putting the cones on the floor.

"Good, studying, painting, doing Peeta's stuff." she said with a shy smile.

"So, are you guys trying for the long distance thing." he asked, Katniss nodded and frowned a bit.

"Yeah, it's hard, but we'll manage." she said, eager to finish the conversation. Peeta had left District 12 two weeks ago but it felt like months had dragged. Thom nodded and lifted the cones again. Haymitch gave him a bill.

"Sweetheart, help Thom to take this to his truck and then you can go." Katniss nodded and left the counter to grab the pile of cones. Thom nodded at her and they left the store together.

"Do you need a ride?" Thom asked, placing the cones in the back of the truck.

"No, thanks, I have my truck there." she said, pointing to the parking lot, after leaving the cones. Thom nodded and scratched the back of his neck, looking nervous.

"Cool. So, thanks for the help. I guess I'll see around school." he said, opening the door. Katniss nodded and turned around to go back to the shop, but she stopped when she heard Thom calling her again.

"I hope things work out well with Peeta, you know, with the distance." he said nervously. Katniss smiled a bit.

"Thanks Thom, I hope so too." she said, she felt her throat closing with tears.

She left SportShop quickly; she barely said goodbye to Haymitch and drove to her house, feeling worse by the second.

She parked the truck but didn't get out. She pressed her forehead to the steering wheel, closed her eyes and tried to breath. She would not cry. Peeta would be back in a few months. Only three months and he would be back, he would leave again, but still, he was going to be there. Fuck, there was no use. Damn the tears and damn the lack of air for crying. She pressed her forehead harder and her hands grabbed the sides of the steering wheel. But she couldn't fight the tears anymore, those little drops of salty water were as stubborn as Katniss and this time Katniss lost the battle.

She heard the passenger door open, a light weight on the bench and the door being closed again. She lifted her head, turned it a bit and saw Prim looking at her with a sad expression.

"I miss him." she cried and her sister hugged her.

"I know." said Prim, rubbing her sister's back in slow circles

"I thought that I would never be like this, but I'm a mess Prim, he turned me into a sappy mess, Haymitch is right." Katniss sobbed and Prim looked at her.

"Kat, I don't know what you are talking about, but it would be weird if you didn't miss him." Prim said, looking for a tissue in her bag.

"I know, but I always thought that a boy would never do this to me." she said, sniffing and cleaning the tears from her face.

"Peeta is not just a boy, Katniss, you know that." And yes, Katniss knew that "Don't try to apply reason with this, because you can't, if it happens it happens and the distance shows how much you love each other." Prim said, grabbing her sister hand.

"But we were together for least than a year. It can't be love..." Katniss started, but Prim stopped her.

"So what? Enough with the 'buts', this is not an apple that needs to grow before you can eat it." Prim said with a sad smile and Katniss looked at her with her mouth hanging open.

"When did you grow up? What's up with the Dumbledore advice?" Katniss asked, sniffing and looking at her sister. Prim, her little duck, the little girl that would sneak in her sister's bed on a stormy night because she was scared of the noise.

"You're such a nerd." she said, rolling her eyes. Katniss smiled at her and shrugged her shoulders when her cell phone rang.

"Hey Peeta." she said, smiling "No, I'm not crying, well yes I'm crying." she said hesitantly and looked at Prim "Prim punched me."

"I did not Peeta." Prim yelled, punching Katniss in the arm. Katniss laughed and jumped out the truck. She adjusted the phone in her ear and sat down in the steps of their small porch. Prim walked into the house and tapped Katniss in the top of her head, smiling.

"And why were you crying if Prim didn't punch you? Is this because you couldn't finish the cross board?" his voice was worried but he would still try to not make it worse. Katniss sighed, looking at her nails.

"I think I miss you." she confessed, trying to keep the tears from her voice. Peeta sighed and she heard him sat down heavily.

"You think?"

"Yeah, I mean, I know that I miss you. I really do." she said, staring at her neighbor's dog chasing its tail.

"I miss you too. All the time." his voice was low and she could hear his hands running through his hair.

"Well, at least in three months you'll be back for the holidays, right? It will go fast." she said, hoping that Peeta wouldn't complete the part about the three more years apart. But she was determined to make this work.

"Yeah, just three months." Peeta said with a long sigh.

But after another week Katniss knew that it wouldn't be so easy, but she was nothing but a strong willed young woman.

* * *

A month has passed since Peeta had left and things suddenly turned weird.

"Hey Katniss." she lifted her eyes from the essays Mrs. Purnia had given her to read and saw Thom walking towards her. She was sitting in a corner alone in the teacher's room, feeling like she shouldn't be there.

"Hey Thom." she smiled at the boy and nodded when he asked if he could sit down with her.

"How's biology?" he asked, smiling nervously. Katniss shrugged and put down the paper.

"Same old, same old. Nothing has changed, the appendix still is useless." she said and Thom laughed

"How's football?" she asked and Thom shrugged.

"Fine, but is not the same." he said and Katniss nodded, falling into an awkward silence. Thom played with his can of soda and Katniss tapped her pencil on the table.

"We should hang out. I mean…I would like to take you on a date, that is." he said in a rush and Katniss stared at him, shocked.

"Oh…Thom, I'm with Peeta." she said, her face on fire when he dropped his gaze to the table, embarrassed.

"I know, it's just I had to give it a try, right? I've had my eyes on you forever, but I knew Gale had it too and then you started to date Peeta." he finished, his grave voice low.

"I'm sorry Thom, I never thought…" she said confused.

"Please, don't be sorry, I just needed to know." he said, standing up and smiling at her sheepishly "Beside, I love awkward situations, so I'm having a blast right now." Katniss laughed out loud and he smiled at her.

He left the room in a low pace, with his hands deep in his pockets.

Katniss leaned on the back of her chair and ran a hand through her eyes. She couldn't understand how she had been noticed by three boys when all she had ever wanted was to not be noticed.

"You look weird." said Prim, lifting the covers of her bed. Was it time for bed already? Katniss shrugged her shoulders and looked at the ceiling.

"Do you know Thom?" she asked her sister in a low voice. Prim froze and looked at her with narrow eyes.

"Are you cheating on Peeta?" she asked, suspiciously and Katniss turned her head so fast that her neck made a noise.

"Are you crazy? Of course not! I was just asking you if you knew him because he asked me on a date today."

Prim jumped to Katniss' bed with a gasp.

"He did? Yeah, I know him; he's a coach now, Rory talks about him like he's a demigod or something like that." Prim said, looking at Katniss very carefully.

"I never thought that he would like me, he was always really quiet when I was around. Not that I was very talkative." she said, frowning and Prim chuckled. They stayed in silence, looking at the ceiling and Katniss was almost falling asleep when Prim's voice called her.

"I need to ask you something." Katniss looked at her sister, She was blushing and looking at the ceiling very intensely. Katniss nodded and Prim sighed.

"Did you and Peeta have sex?" she asked in a timid voice and Katniss knew that the day couldn't get any more awkward.

"Why do you want to know?" she asked, blushing and Prim looked at her, shrugging.

"Well, no, I mean, we didn't have sex" she said, looking at the ceiling once again.

"Why? You guys dated for almost five moths" Prim asked, puzzled and Katniss sighed

"Well yeah, but I guess we weren't ready, you know Peeta, he was always worried about me being comfortable and I always was comfortable, but is kind of a huge deal. I didn't have much experience and we took things slow." Katniss frowned, thinking that maybe they didn't have sex, but she could still remember vividly the kisses, the touches, the moans, the groans and the shy smiles. But she couldn't say this to her baby sister "But it's not like I knitted, while he read the newspaper and talked about the weather." said Katniss blushing and Prim laughed "But, why are you asking me this?"

"You're golden Katniss." she said, standing up from the bed and leaning down to kissed Katniss' forehead.

By the time Katniss fell asleep, she realized Prim didn't answer why she wanted to know.

* * *

The second month of Peeta's physical absence Katniss dived into work and study. She was in autopilot mode. She hated the fact she had turned into a weak girl, always sad because her boyfriend wasn't around anymore. She was moody during the weeks and depressed during the weekends.

She was mad at him, she was mad because she always swore she wouldn't be like her mom, turning into something she wasn't because of love, but Peeta had a permanent place in her mind.

She even ignored many calls from Peeta, but when the dark cloud moved from her head, she felt like a selfish crap for doing that to Peeta; he had no idea she felt like that, he never would if she didn't explain to him.

Sighing, she listened to the voicemail he had left after three calls.

"Hello! I called a few times to tell some good news. My History teacher, Cinna, offered me an internship as a restorer in the Art Museum, so that's why I called so many times. So call me or I'll call you back. Okay, I should be going now; Finnick is waiting for me…Anyway. I really miss you but I'll be there for the holidays"  
She heard his roommate Finnick yelled something rude about no time and he was gone.

She called him back, crying she told him everything she was feeling, because communication was good for a couple, right? And he listened to her, with his almost Zen patience and apologized. And Katniss felt even worst.

"Don't apologize. I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at me." she said, holding her tears.

"I don't know what to do or say, because this is such a shitty situation." he sounded frustrated.

"I know. I'm sorry." she said, her voice already trembling. A sniff escaped her lips.

"Please don't cry." said Peeta, his voice also thick "I know it's hard but we'll see each other in a few weeks." Katniss breathed and smiled a bit.

"Yeah I know. I'm sorry I screwed up your good news. I'm so happy for you, really. All I want is you to be happy." she said honestly and Peeta chuckled.

"I know. I want the same." he said sighing "Wow, that was our first loaded phone conversation. I guess we can't always talk about what would we do in case of a real Jurassic Park." he joked, trying to clear a bit the air and Katniss laughed, loving how easy was for him to put her at ease.

"Yeah I know. Listen, I'm really sorry that I freaked out." she said feeling like a fool "I guess I lost it."

"It's okay. I'm glad that we talked about it." he said, yawning. Katniss looked at the watch in her night table and gasped. It was really late for Peeta.

"Peeta, it's almost eleven. I'm sorry I kept you up." she said and Peeta laughed.

"It's ok. I'd rather stay up because I'm talking to you and not because Finnick and Annie are in the mood, luckily Annie's roommate is always out." he told her and Katniss yearned to hear more from his life outside District 12.

She left her room and found her mom sewing Prim's uniform and Prim was doing her homework on the living room. A dish was covered with another dish. Prim looked at her at pushed it to her side of the table. Her mom looked at her over her glasses.

"Is everything okay Katniss?" She asked, cautiously and Katniss nodded and stared eating.

"I miss Peeta, but we'll see each other soon." she said and her mom and Prim looked at her and nodded.

Katniss was glad they didn't ask any more questions and instead they talked about little things, everyday thing and Katniss felt at ease with her mom and her sister.

Only a few days and Peeta would be back.

Every week Katniss went to the bakery to visit Mr. Mellark. At first Katniss was a bit uncomfortable, but he had insisted and after a few visits Katniss was happy to develop a good relationship with her boyfriend's father. He was warm and sweet, just like Peeta and being with him Katniss felt relaxed.

After closing SportShop she went to the bakery to have dinner with Mr. Mellark, but before she stopped by the grocery to buy toothpaste, after a very demanding text message from Prim.

She had the little box and was walking to the cashier line, looking for her wallet in her bag pack and came to a stop when she stood up face to face with Susan Mellark.

Katniss' face turned white as a sheet when Mrs. Mellark recognized her. Her face was too slow to mask her dislike for her youngest son's girlfriend.

"Hello." said Katniss politely, her bag pack open and the toothpaste in her hand. She looked like a mess. Hairs from her braid were falling everywhere and her pants had a stain from the sauce that had fallen on her thigh during lunch break.

"Hello Katniss." she answered, looking her from head to toe and Katniss tucked her hair behind her ear, self-conscious. The animosity between them was obvious and neither Katniss nor Mrs. Mellark had work to change that.

"Umm, Peeta is arriving in a few days." said Katniss, really not knowing what to say. Mrs. Mellark nodded, still looking at Katniss with a judging eye.

"Yes, he is. I came to see my sons." she said and Katniss nodded "What are you doing here?" she asked, seriously.

"Buying toothpaste." said Katniss lifting the box and shaking it. Mrs. Mellark shook her head.

"Not in the grocery store, in District 12." she said, emphasizing District 12.

"Oh...well, I'm studying Biology in the Community College, I'm helping in the school's lab and working at ShopSport." she said in a rush, blushing at the icy stare she was receiving from the women that had conceived one of the sweetest creatures that walked the earth. She wondered how a mother and his son could be so different.

"I've heard Peeta is doing very well in the Capitol." she said and Katniss nodded "I'm glad that the distance is working for you two, even if you are in different places. I know it can be difficult when he is projecting his life and his career outside the District and you are projecting to stay here." she said and Katniss gulped back the tears she had.

"I know." she said. She knew that Peeta's career as an artist would be dead the minute he would set a foot in District 12. It was a small town and art, the kind of art Peeta loved and did, only had place in the walls of the corridors at the school.

Mrs. Mellark looked at her watch and gasped.

"Oh my, I should go. I was nice seeing you Katniss." she said, but both knew that was a fat lie.

Katniss went to the back of the store to see the toilet paper, but because that corridor had a direct view to the cashier line.  
When Mrs. Mellark left, Katniss paid for the toothpaste and ran from the grocery to the bakery, shaking.

She didn't say a word to Mr. Mellark about her ex-wife.

"I'm so glad for my boy." he said smiling "Even if this job means that we'll have him only for a week and not for a month, I know he is happy."

Katniss frowned; leaving Mrs. Mellark's words aside for a minute and Mr. Mellark cleared his throat.

"Well, he starts on January's first week." he said a bit sad and Katniss knew she had the same face, because Mr. Mellark patted her hand.

"I didn't know that." she said in a small voice.

The phone rang and Mr. Mellark stood up. He placed a heavy and warm hand in her shoulder and squeezed lightly. His heavy footsteps left her and she felt a dead weight on her stomach.

She sighed with relief when she heard Will's name.

The idea of only seeing Peeta for just a week after three months apart was like a bucket on iced water. She shook her head, trying to clear the fog that had formed after Mr. Mellark news, but uneasiness settled in her mind when she recalled Mrs. Mellark's words. She covered her eyes with her hands, frustrated. She had a lot of thinking to do.

* * *

_So, here it is, a bit long, but next chapter Peeta will be back._

_This month was crazy for me, I had and still have exams and other things from everyday life and it was hard to find time._

_I'm on tumbrl, so feel free to follow, I'm annthetropicalfish._

_And last but not least,a huge thank you to all the follows and the favorites and the reviews. It means a lot to me. Stress is usually breathing down my neck,so have this place to do what I love, with a book that I love is the best._  
_Anyway,thanks :D_

_See you next time._

_Mari :)_


	9. Chapter 9

Thanks a million to **Thynerdgurl** for being my beta!

Here it goes.

* * *

Katniss knew how much she had missed Peeta when she laughed after she slipped on ice; fell on her back, knocking the air out of her lungs. It was winter; the street was covered by a thin layer of ice. She couldn't breathe, but the joy of knowing that Peeta was just a few blocks away made her laugh. Or maybe it was her brain running out of air.

"Katniss!" she heard her mother's yell. The grey sky above her was covered by the worried face of her mom.

Katniss sat coughing a bit and her mom helped her into a standing position.

"Are you okay?" she asked her, checking all of her body.

"Mom, stop, yes I'm fine. I've slipped." Katniss answered, still trying to breathe normally. Her mom looked at her, frowning and raised slowly two fingers in front of her face.

"How many fingers do you see?" she asked and Katniss rolled her eyes.

"Two, I'm fine mom, I should go." she said, walking to her truck slowly.

It wasn't until she lost sight of her house that she grinned like an idiot. He was coming back.

She parked in the bakery, shaking from the head to toe from the cold. She ran into the bakery, feeling relieved when she felt the warm air kissed her face.

"Katniss, dear," Mr. Mellark greeted her from behind the counter and Katniss went to meet him "We've just arrived from the station, Peeta is upstairs" he said, smiling at her fondly and winking. Katniss kissed him on the cheek and left without a word, blushing a bit.

She entered the house quickly and thanked the good heavens that wasn't around.

She saw him leaning on his suitcase, his back to her. His hair was longer and it was wet from the shower, making it look darker. He was wearing his brown corduroys pants he knew she loved and he still was barefoot and shirtless.

Katniss stopped to watch him, mesmerized with his back, and how a bit of the waistband of his boxers could be seen; boxers with little dogs in it and she couldn't help but laugh. He turned around and she saw a bit fear from being startled in his eyes, but pure joy replaced it when his eyes fell on her.

They stood grinning at each other for exactly six seconds before they made their way to the middle of the room to hug.

He lifted her off her feet, laughing, relieved to have her in his arms again.

"You're here, you're here." she mumbled against his neck, feeling relax for the first time in many months.

"I missed you so much Katniss." he said, kissing all over her face before his lips crushed with hers, stirring a hunger that Katniss hadn't felt in months and judging by the pressure in her stomach from Peeta's groin, neither had he.

He unzipped her jacket, looked at her asking for permission timidly. Peeta ran his hands through her sides until he reached the waist of her jeans. And to his joy Katniss lifted her arms above her head to allow him to take her sweater quickly. He smiled and kissed her neck again, tugging at her shirt

"Your hair is longer." she said, closing her eyes.

"Yeah, you have to cut it later, I don't trust another person to touch my hair." he said, breathing heavily. Katniss beamed at him and ran her hands through his golden locks to claim her territory.

"You look different." she said in a low voice. Peeta smiled and put his hands in the small of her back and Katniss shivered at the contact and moaned when he pulled her forward and their hips crushed, beginning another passionate kissing.

They fell on the bed, breathing heavily. Katniss had already lost her shirt and Peeta was kissing her neck.

"Wait, your dad might come in, it's almost midday." she said, trying to form a coherent thought.

"Don't worry." he said and Katniss was sure if he had heard her.

She grabbed his head from between her breasts and he smiled at her. She forgot why she had stopped him and kissed him again.

"What's up with the beard?" she asked and he just shrugged, kissing her neck again.

"I think I have more pressing matters, one of them is your bra. Why is still on?" he asked, hooking his finger with the strap. Katniss laughed and let him unclasp it. Peeta sighed happily, kissing her again, slowly, so slowly and so full of love and desire that Katniss arched her back to press against him.

"I've missed you so much." he said with a husky voice and Katniss hugged him to her, kissing his temple, his jaw, everywhere, while Peeta ran his hands through her sides until he reached the waist of her jeans.

They were so caught up with each other that they missed the footsteps and the gasp.

"Fuck, Peeta" they heard Peeta's brother voice and Peeta quickly threw himself over Katniss to cover her.

"Shit Will, what do you want?" asked Peeta, while Katniss covered her reddening face with a pillow. Will was covering his eyes with his hands.

"I just want to say hi, the fucking door was open for fuck's sake." he yelled and to make things even worse they hear Peeta's dad voice from the stairs.

"Wait, Will." he sounded out of breath "Katniss is with Peeta and language young man, there's a lady in there."

Will mumbled something, Peeta cursed and jumped out the bed, throwing the blankets over Katniss.

He stepped outside his bedroom door, closing it softly and pulling his hand in the front of his pants.

"Hi Will, sorry." he said, blushing slightly when arrived, panting.

"Running and stairs is no good for a baker." he said running a hand through his hair. He saw Peeta's nude chest and Will's angry face and cleared his throat.

"Boys, lunch will be ready in a few minutes, maybe you could help me Will." said and Will left with a scowl.

Peeta smiled sheepishly at his dad and entered his room. He closed the door and leaned his forehead against the door, sighing.

He turned around and saw Katniss wrapped from head to toe with his quilt in fetal position.

He chuckled and tucked himself under the covers with her.

She was fully dressed again and her face was covered by her hand.

"Your brother is going to think that I'm a slut." she said when Peeta rubbed her arms.

"No. He knows you and he won't think that." he said, taking her hand from her face.

She was still blushing, but she looked beautiful.

"Hi." he said kissing the tip of her nose.

"Hi." they looked at each other, smiling like two fools.

They heard Mr. Mellark's voice in the distance and they stood up.

Peeta put on a t-shirt and Katniss smiled at him and when he hugged her again, she forgot about her worries about the distance. How could she let go of this boy?

When they entered the kitchen, Mr. Mellark was there and to Katniss embarrassment not only was Will but also Mark, Peeta's older brother and judging by the smirk on his face, Will had told him about the situation on Peeta's room.

"Hey Little Muffin, hey Katniss." Mark said, ruffling Peeta's hair and slapping him on his back, making him wince and Katniss waved shyly.

"Hey Mark." Peeta said, blushing over the nickname and Katniss smiled.

"Hey, what's with the businesslike manner did the Capitol turned you into an iceberg?" He asked chuckling. Mark was taller than Peeta, his hair shorter and his back broader. He looked like Mr. Mellark, but with the strength of a bear under steroids.

"According to my sources the icebergs could have melt in your room…" Mark said winking and Will roared with laughter. Peeta jumped at his brother but it was too late. He was caught in a headlock and to make thing worse, Will joined Mark by punching Peeta on his side and now there where both tormenting his little brother.

"Let go of me, you pricks." yelled Peeta "It's not fair two against one."

"Leave him alone." Katniss said with a barely audible voice, but enough to made Will and Mark to roar with laughter.

"Now, boys, calm down, lunch's ready and I have to open again in a hour." said Mr. Mellark, leaving the chicken pie on the table "sit down Katniss, dear, don't worry, in twenty five years of this nothing bad happen." Mr. Mellark assures her, seeing the look on her face.

Mark and Will let go of Peeta and he was now lying on his side, with his face red from screaming.

Katniss realized that it was the first time she saw all the Mellark men without Susan Mellark around. She knew that Peeta's mom wouldn't allow this mayhem in her house and Katniss was also sure that Susan Mellark wouldn't have moved a finger to stop what Mark and Will were doing to Peeta.

He sat down next her, his face red, his breath still heavy and his hair standing in weird angles, and with a smile she combed with her fingers. He looked at her, smiling sheepishly.

"Listen, I want to talk to you about something." he said in a low voice, while Mark, Will and his dad finished setting the table. She frowned but he took her hand "Nothing bad, well, the thing is…"

"You're staying just for a week. I know." she said, squeezing his finger. Relief ran through his face

"Yeah, I wanted to tell you before my brothers could say something totally pigheaded about it." he said and Katniss laughed, nodding.

"Both hands where we can see them." Mark said laughing and Peeta scowled at him.

"Could you stop being such an asshole?" Peeta asked, furious and Mr. Mellark scowled at him "Dad, he's being really stupid."

"Don't worry, he just wants to have Katniss attention." Will said and Katniss blushed.

"Boys, please, I just want to have a nice family lunch, could you stop with the hormonal bickering?" Mr. Mellark asked in a steady voice that Katniss never heard before. She also noted that Mr. Mellark had included her on the word family and she suddenly felt a bubble of happiness.

"I'm sorry Mark, but the attention of two Mellarks would be too much to handle, I'm keeping Peeta." she said, smiling coyly and throwing an arm around Peeta's shoulder. He puffed his chest and lifts his chin proudly.

The boys laughed at Katniss' boldness and after that the lunch turned into a very pleasant one; luckily Peeta's brother stopped making annoying remarks about Peeta and asked him about college with genuine interest. Katniss smiled when she had to explain at least three times how the genetics worked for animals.

"I never understood that, if you have a white horse and a black horse and the little one is brown, it should be grey at least." Will said. Katniss laughed out loud and Peeta, Mark and Mr. Mellark shook their heads.

Katniss realized that Peeta was really tired when she cut his hair. She was leaning into him to measure the hair's length of his temple when she noticed how tired his eyes looked and how big the bags under his eyes were. He smiled at her goofily and hugged her waist, burying his face on her stomach.

"It's so nice to be back." he sighed. Katniss ran her hands through his wet hair and sighed too "Sometimes I just wanted to leave everything and come back."

Katniss frowned, ignoring how his warm breath felt through the fabric of her sweater.

"But you are okay over there, right?" She asked and Peeta nodded.

"Yeah, of course, I love how much I'm learning, but you would be the only reason to come back." he added and Katniss took his head gently between her hands. She looked at him intensely, frowning slightly. She shook her head gently.

"I wouldn't ask that. I mean, I miss you, but I wouldn't ask that." she said a bit frantic. Peeta shook his head and sat Katniss on his lap.

"I know that." he reassured her. Katniss buried her face in his neck and mumbled something about being happy but Peeta couldn't quite catch it. She hugged him tightly and Peeta could feel the beat of her heart.

And that's when he realized that Katniss loved him. She didn't have to say it. But Peeta knew her. She loved with every fiber of her being, she love with passion and she would risk her life for those she loved, but Peeta also knew that Katniss, at the tender age of eleven, saw how dangerous love could be. And that's why she was so reluctant to let people in.

"A minor on the way, I'm walking with a minor." they heard Mark's voice, Prim's giggles and they broke apart. Katniss stand up and smiled at Peeta.

He was still a bit shaken, but he smiled when he saw Prim.

Prim hugged him and Mark stood leaning on the doorway.

"Peeta! What's up with the beard." Prim giggled and Peeta sighed.

"I'm shaving now, okay?" he said and the girls laughed. Katniss looked at her watch and looked at Prim.

"You saw the truck outside and you knew that I had to work now and you need a ride home, right?" Katniss asked Prim. She nodded, with a socked face "Don't look so surprised, I know you too well."

"And I wanted to see Peeta." she said, ruffling Peeta's hair. He smiled.

"Okay, we're leaving now." Katniss said, kissing Peeta's cheek. Prim waved at him and Peeta held Katniss' hand. He kissed her deeply. Katniss smiled into the kiss and cup his cheek with his hand.

"Try to get some sleep." she said in a low voice. Peeta nodded and smiled sleepily.

He lay down on his bed and Katniss kiss him again.

In less than five minutes he fell asleep.

Not only Katniss had enjoyed Peeta's return. Prim and Mrs. Everdeen were happy as well; they loved him like a part of the family, but it also meant that Katniss' sour mood was absent.

The second day he made pasta for them and Prim claimed, to Mrs. Everdeen dismay, that she hadn't had pasta like that in years.

Even if Peeta's stay was a short one, they managed to turn it into a comfortable routine. He would pick her up from SportShop, then they would go to the bakery for some tea and the day was finished with dinner and a movie at Katniss'. Peeta usually fell asleep in the first ten minutes of the movie, so Katniss often turned off the TV and snuggled next to him.

But New Year arrived, which meant Peeta would be leaving.

Madge invited everybody from school and Katniss suddenly found herself with the entire football and cheerleader team and she couldn't help to feel a bit out of place.

Even Prim was there, talking easily with everyone. She was laughing with a group of people, including Peeta.

"Hey." a soft voice took her out off her musings. Thom was standing with one hand on his pocket and the other was holding a cup. Katniss noted he was broader and a bit taller. He was wearing a really nice white shirt and he had combed his hair. Katniss gripped her cup tighter and smiled softly.

"Hi Thom, how are you?" she greeted, a bit tense.

"Good, good, it's been good." he said, smiling a bit. A heavy silence fell between them; Katniss refilled her cup and Thom moved his head slightly at the sound of the music "So, this is not awkward at all." he said, looking at Peeta making his way towards them. Katniss choked a bit with her drink and a weird noise that sounded like a laugh left her mouth.

"Thom! So nice to see you." Peeta said clapping him on his back, smiling.

"Hey Peet, is nice to see you too." Thom said, smiling.

"Wow, you look like a bear." Peeta said, surprised, eyeing him. Katniss scowled at Peeta and he shrugged "What?" but Thom laughed out loud.

"Yeah, I been working out, I'm a coach now, so I have to set an example or something like that." he said, blushing a bit, scratching the back of his neck.

"Well, great job, I mean, it looks like you could lift Katniss with an arm and you wouldn't feel the weight." Peeta said, like a child on a sugar high.

"I doubt that." Thom said, looking at Katniss. She finished her drink in one gulp

"Okay, no funny ideas boys." she said, coughing a bit. Peeta and Thom laughed and shortly after Thom excused himself and left them.

"A bear? Really?" Katniss asked Peeta, watching Thom's big form walking away. Peeta laughed and shrugged sheepishly.

"He is huge." he said, grabbing her cup and drinking. Katniss huffed and Peeta looked at her "You okay?" he asked, frowning a bit. Katniss nodded and bit her lip, debating with herself if she should tell Peeta that Thom had asked her out. She doubted that Peeta would get mad but still, she hated to keep things for him. She shook her head, smiled at him and pinched his cheek. She was a bit drunk.

Peeta smiled at her and she kissed him heatedly, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Get ready for the countdown" Madge yelled, looking at her watch, throwing an arm around Gale's shoulders.

"Hey! Katniss and Peeta, you are supposed to kiss after the countdown." Gale yelled and a massive laughed was heard. Peeta gripped Katniss tighter and made a rude gesture with his middle finger.

They heard the cheers of the New Year and the laughter and they broke apart.

"Uff, I feel like I had been kissing you since last year." Peeta said and Katniss laughed, because she knew he was going to make that joke. Katniss leaned her forehead against Peeta's and took his head between her hands.

"Happy New Year." she whispered and Peeta kissed her again but this time something was different. There was a hunger in both of them and when they broke apart, Peeta saw a raw desire in Katniss eyes that made him gulp. He knew he had the same look.

"The bakery has a small room above." he said and Katniss nodded. He grabbed her hand and led her across the room.

"Catnip!" Gale yelled and they both groaned "Leaving already?" Katniss blushed and nodded. Understanding crossed Gale's features and looked at Peeta with narrowed eyes. Peeta took a step back.

"Umm, yeah, were leaving." she said and Gale opened his arms for a hug. She hugged him and he whispered in her ear.

"Happy New Year. If he hurts you I'm going to cut his nuts and hang them in the tree on the square." he whispered and Katniss laughed.

"You're the best, happy New Year." Katniss mumbled in his ear. Gale hugged Peeta too and by the look on Peeta's face, the threat was worst. He took her hand and walked briskly to the exit. Katniss stopped dead on her tracks when she saw Prim kissing Rory on the lips.

"Hey!" she yelled at them and they broke apart, blushing. Prim's mouth opened and closed like a fish.

Peeta tugged at her hand and Katniss lift her index finger to Rory and Prim, scowling. Rory flinched and Peeta laughed, tugging her sleeve again.

They left the house in silence. Peeta stopped her and kissed her again, deeply and Katniss forgot that her little sister wasn't so little anymore.

They walked the two blocks that separated Madge's house from Peeta's quickly, stopping a few times to kiss again.

They stumbled into the room, trying to kiss and take their clothes at the same time.

"Wait. Are you sure about this?" he asked, looking at her "We can stop if you want to."

Katniss answered by unbuttoning his shirt. Peeta took her dress and kissed until the back of his knees touched the bed and they fall in it. Katniss straddled him with a smile and bent down to kiss him. Her loose hair tickled his face.

"Look at you Katniss, you're beautiful." he said, putting her hair behind her ear. She bent and kissed slowly him again, placing her hands on his chest. He ran his hand from her hips to her back, unclasping her bra.

Katniss throw it away without breaking the kiss and Peeta whimpered when she felt her chest against his. He was completely hard and Katniss grinded her hips against his, moaning.

He turned her around and laid her on the bed. He knelt and unbuckled his pants. Katniss looked at him, breathing hard. He stopped and looked at her.

"Are you sure? 'Cause if you are going to stop, we have to stop now." he whispered, his voice grave. And Katniss helped him to take off his pants. He laid her again on the bed.

"Wait. Protection." Katniss said and Peeta nodded and looked in his pants pockets.

"Gale gave me this." he chuckled and Katniss rolled her eyes.

He positioned himself between her legs, trying to support his weight on his elbows and not in her body.

"Ouch, hair, hair." she said, when Peeta's elbow caught it against the pillow. Peeta rolled off her, leaning on an elbow.

"Sorry." he said, sheepishly and Katniss smiled at him, bringing him to her. She kissed him and he buried his face in her neck "You have no idea how much I wanted to do this." he whispered and Katniss smiled and kissed his temple.

He looked at her and she nodded. At first she felt a sharp pain, but it wasn't entirely uncomfortable, it was new. It took a bit to find a pace for both but she felt her body on fire every time Peeta trusted his hips against hers.

"Katniss, I'm not going to last long…" he gasped and with a final trust and a moan, he dropped his sweaty forehead against her shoulder. She hugged him to her, combing his hair.

"I…you didn't…I couldn't." Peeta said, his voice muffled by her shoulder. Katniss shrugged, smiling but it didn't matter, because they were young and stamina was not an issue for they were fast learners.

Peeta rolled off her with a heavy breath and a goofy smile. Katniss pulled her hair in a messy bun and placed her head in his chest, sighing.

Peeta kissed the top of her head and grabbed her hand, while the other stroked her shoulder.

"I should go." Katniss said in a sleepy voice. Peeta yawned and shook his head.

"No, you shouldn't." he said and Katniss chuckled and for once she forgot about her worries and the distance and everything that had put her on edge the last few months.

She forgot that he would be leaving in a few hours and for at least another four months they wouldn't see each other. Right now she was fine with sleeping in Peeta's arm. She was safe with the boy with the bread.

* * *

Hello! So,Awkward!sex .

Sorry about the delay. It's been crazy this past days;exams,deadlines,hot weather,sleeping less than four hours a day...but I found time to write. The next chapter is almost done,so just two more chapters and is the end. And then I'm moving to another HG story :)

Feel free to drop a line in the review box. Thanks for the reviews, follows and the favourites. You are making me very happy :)

Oh,I'm on tumbrl,feel free to follow. I'm annthetropicalfish.

Byeeee

Mari


	10. Chapter 10

_Thanks to __**Thynerdgurl**__ for being my it goes._

* * *

Katniss sighed. The train had left and the platform was already empty. Peeta had left again.

"Hey." Delly greeted her, sitting next to her. Katniss looked at her and smiled sadly.

Delly linked her arm with hers and sighed.

"I miss him too, I know is different obviously for you two, but still." she said, looking at the empty railways. Katniss looked at her and nodded.

"I know you guys have been friends forever." Katniss said and Delly nodded, smiling.

"Yeah, he's been there for as long as I remember. And he still is that little child, always doing silly things to make you laugh." Delly and Katniss laughed and a comfortable silence fell between them.

"I remember when he confessed to me that he had a crush on you. We were eleven and I went to his house to do homework and he was in his room, and his things were in the living room, so his dad told to wait for him. He had left his notepad and there was a drawing of a long braid, which obviously was yours, because that day we had had math and we sat behind you in math, so when I asked him if that was your braid he turned almost purple." Delly laughed at the memory and Katniss smiled, picturing a young Peeta "Then he told me that since he was five years old that he had a thing for you."

Delly looked at Katniss, smiling "I couldn't believe it, that he knew he loved you since he was five."

"It's so weird to know that, I can't believe that someone so wonderful can find happiness in someone like me." Katniss said, voicing for the first time her biggest fear. Delly dismissed with a wave of her hand.

"Nonsense Katniss, he also has his flaws like everybody else, nobody is perfect." she said sighing. Another silence fell between them along with the day. It was getting darker and colder.

"We should go now; I can't feel my butt cheeks." Katniss said and stand up, grabbing Delly's hand to do the same. They walked slowly to the station parking lot.

"Was it good? The drawing I mean." Katniss asked, smiling and Delly laughed softly, nodding.

"Yeah, it was so realistic; it really looked like your braid. I'm so glad he's in art school, since we were children that he wanted to go, but her mom always pushed him to do something completely different from what he really likes." Delly said, making a face when she mentioned Mrs. Mellark.

"Once he was grounded, I can't remember why, so during breaks at school he would doodle all over my notepads, because she checked his to make sure he wasn't drawing." Katniss looked at Delly with a shocked expression and Delly nodded "So I think that for him being in Art School is the best."

"Yeah, I know, he loves it." Katniss said, remembering how Peeta's eyes shone when he told her about his classes and his new job as a restorer in the Art Museum "He's going to do great things, I know that." Katniss looked at Delly, opening her car.

"When are you leaving?" Katniss asked and Delly's face fell a bit.

"I'm staying. I don't know if being away is my thing." she answered, shrugging and Katniss nodded.

"Maybe we can hang out." she said, smiling softly and Delly beamed at her.

"I'm taking your word Everdeen. We'll talk later." she said, winking and entering her car. Katniss did the same and drove to her house.

* * *

Katniss dismissed Mrs. Purnia class. She was tired and a bit sleepy. The lab's odor was a bit strong this morning: a weird mix between gas and teenagers in full blossom.

She opened the window to clear the air, when the door opened and Mrs. Purnia stepped inside. Katniss smiled at her former teacher.

"How was your first class alone?" Mrs. Purnia asked and Katniss shrugged.

"It was okay, but I think that Martins kid likes the fire too much, I had to ask him twice to turn out the burner." Katniss answered and Mrs. Purnia nodded.

"Okay, good job Katniss, you can go now if you want to." Mrs. Purnia said and Katniss nodded, putting her things on her bag. She left the lab and walked towards the teacher's room to grab her coat.

The room was empty. Katniss spotted her coat and after putting it on, she took her sandwich from the fridge and opened it, biting a piece. She was looking for her keys on her purse when the door opened.

"Hello" a familiar voice said and Katniss freeze, finding very hard to place Peeta's voice in the teacher's room.

He was standing on the doorway, a green woolen hat on his head, with his hands on his coat to stopped February's chilly air. Katniss looked at him with wide eyes, still munching her sandwich.

"Okay, I can go. You have something…" Peeta said touching his chin and Katniss yelped, ran her hand quickly through her chin and ran towards him. She jumped at his neck and he lifted her from the floor, hugging her.

"What are you doing here?" Katniss asked still amazed. Peeta took the sandwich from her hands and bit it.

"I had a few days off, so I though, hey, why not go home?" he said, chewing the sandwich and Katniss smiled and hugged him again.

"And you didn't say a thing." she said, leaving the teachers room. Peeta chuckled.

"Do you know how surprises work?" he asked and she punched him lightly in the arm.

"Oh, shut up. How long the surprise will last?" she asked, walking through the corridors with her arm linked through Peeta's elbow.

"Well, five days, it's a short visit." he said, smiling at her, but Katniss shook her head and kissed his cheek.

"But is a visit." she said, smiling. He opened the door for her and they stepped outside.

"To the bakery?" he asked, smiling and Katniss nodded.

"Yeah, I need to stop by the grocery store and I'll meet you there." she said, opening her truck's door, a permanent grin stuck on her face.

After paying for the milk her mom had asked her, Katniss almost ran to the bakery.

She opened the door and kissed Mr. Mellark on the cheek.

"You knew about this?" she asked and Mr. Mellark shrugged his shoulders, smiling playfully, looking at a costumer.

"Maybe." he said, winking.

Katniss smiled and made her way to the bakery's kitchen, but she stopped when she heard Peeta on the phone.

"I know Johanna, I know that it's a once in a life chance, but I wanted to come home." he sounded tired, he was running his hand through his hair "Yeah, I know is a full scholarship abroad, but…"Katniss' heart was bumping in her ears, felling a dead weight on her chest.

"Well, maybe next year, but no way in hell I'm leaving for two years to another country." he said, leaning on the sink and Katniss decided to stepped into the kitchen, coughing a bit. Peeta turned around and smiled at her.

"Hey, listen Johanna, I have to go, and Katniss is here." he said smiling "Johanna says 'hi'." he whispered and Katniss smiled and lift her hand weakly "She says 'hi' too. Okay. Yeah I know. Whatever, you're the brainless." and with a grin he closed his cell phone. Peeta walked to her and kissed her on the lips slowly.

"How much have you heard?" he asked, leaning his forehead against her, sighing. Katniss closed her eyes and sighed too.

"From the once in a life time opportunity part to the brainless part." she answered, biting her lip.

"Peeta, what was that? I mean, the opportunity?" Katniss asked leaning against the counter. Peeta sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Okay, but promise that you won't get mad." Katniss scowled and he laughed nervously "There's this annual thing; it's a contest for two disciplines, painting and sculpture and each year two students are chosen by their portfolio to study two years abroad and Cinna said that I had really good chances, but I turned down so I had a week off because I wasn't on the run, so I came here to see you." he explained, smiling at her.

Katniss looked at him as if he had grown a second head.

"Do you have yeast in your brain?" she asked, frustrated.

"Hey, what's with the insult?" he asked, offended and Katniss shook her head. She started to pace. That wasn't good.

"Peeta, why did you said no?" she asked him, covering her face with her hands.

"Because! Katniss, I just…Two years, we are not talking about a year in Panem, we are talking about two years abroad. Two years away from each other." he said, with fisted hands breathing heavily as if the idea made him ill. Katniss looked at him and shook her head.

"We could have found a way…" she said stubbornly and Peeta took two long strides and grabbed her gently by her shoulders.

"No. I didn't want to. I wanted to see you, okay?" he said, softly. Katniss tilted her head and sighed.

"I don't want you to postpone your things…" she mumbled, but Peeta shook his head.

"I'm not postponing anything." he said but still, Katniss was looking at him with guilty eyes "Look, I promise that next year I'll apply." he said and Katniss narrowed her eyes.

"You're lying." she said and Peeta hung his head.

"I swear I'm not." he said, crossing his heart.

"Okay, so you promise that next year you'll do it?" she asked, ignoring the dread and the fear that was taking over her body in that moment. Peeta nodded, smiling brightly and Katniss hugged him fiercely.

"Okay." she said, her voice muffled by his sweater. Katniss tighten her embrace, feeling tears in her eyes.

"Okay." he repeated kissing her temple, feeling that after all his visit wasn't such a good idea.

* * *

During his stay Katniss felt distant and sometimes she would look at him with a serious expression, as if she was pondering. Peeta felt dread every time her eyebrows would knitted in concentration but every time he would hug her tightly.

Every time they made love, Katniss would hug him for dear life as if they were saying goodbye and every time Peeta felt tears in his eyes. He felt Katniss drifting away slowly from him and he wanted nothing more to break into her head to stop the thoughts he knew she was having.

The last night they spend together Peeta woke up and Katniss was looking at him with a tender expression, running her hand through his hair.

"Hey." he said, with a sleepy voice. Katniss smiled softly but a worried expression felt on her face "I can almost see the wheels of your brain, thinking."

Katniss shrugged and Peeta hugged her, burying his head on her neck. She looked at the ceiling, feeling a lump in her throat.

"Peeta, I…" but Peeta cut her words with a kiss, shaking his head a bit.

"I should go." she said, a tear falling on the side of her face. She whipped away quickly and Peeta pretended he didn't hear her sniffed.

She dressed quietly and Peeta looked at her from the bed.

"Are coming for lunch, right?" he asked and Katniss nodded, not thrusting her voice.

She kissed him deeply, framing his face with her hands and left the room.

Peeta sighed and watched the truck get lost in the distance from the window.

* * *

Peeta had everything ready. All packed. His father had made him his favorite chicken pie for lunch and Katniss had had lunch with them, but still, he felt uneasiness in his chest. Katniss was quieter than usual, her eyes lingering more than normal on him.

She had insisted in doing the dishes when Mr. Mellark returned to the Bakery after lunch. She was with her back to him, rinsing the last dish when a sigh escaped her mouth.

Peeta hugged her, pressed his chest to her back and rested his chin on her shoulder. She leaned into him.

"You okay?" mumbled Peeta in her neck. Katniss sighed deeply and turned around. She grabbed him by the shoulders to still her body and kissed him softly on the cheek.

"Peeta, listen." she said, her eyes on the collar of his t-shirt. "You are leaving again. I think that we should..." she blinked the tears and looked at the ceiling, trying not to cry. Peeta's heart started to pound noisily on his ears.

"Katniss don't..." he started, feeling his throat burning. Katniss shook her head.

"I don't know if I can do it. The distance. I just..." a single tear fell and she wiped away angrily.

"Come on Katniss, don't do this, please." he said and grabbed her by the shoulders. He wanted to shake her until she changes her mind. Katniss looked at him and her eyes were so sad that he lunched himself at her to hug her, to keep her with him, forever.

"Peeta, please don't think that this is easy for me because it's not. Your plans are somewhere else and mine are here and I don't want to tie you down. I hate doing this, but…" she said, taking at step back, putting distance with the boy that had turned her world upside down with charcoals, dandelions, shy smiles and stolen kisses.

"Then why are you doing it? If this hurts like shit to you too, why are you doing it." he said angrily, fat tears falling from his eyes.

"I hate to think that you are not doing things because you choose to come here. You should have presented for that contest, we both know how much you wanted to do It." she said, almost shouting, short of breath, cheeks red.

"So you are leaving me, leaving this, leaving us, because of the distance, because we have different plans?" asked Peeta, still angry at her and at himself because in the middle of that emotional cataclysm, he could only think of how beautiful she was. Damn it her eyes, damn it her smile, damn it her braid and all of her that made him love her so much.

"It's not just the distance. You have a new life, new friends and you know how much the Capitol people liked your paintings and I don't want to hold you back." she said sadly.

"Then come with me, we'll manage somehow." as soon as the word left Peeta's mouth, not even stopping in the rational department of his brain, he knew that it was impossible. Katniss wouldn't leave District 12, not with Prim still in high school and her mom working double shifts. Katniss shook her head. Peeta sighed, knowing the he had lost the battle."Are really those your reasons?" he asked, looking at her in the eyes. She nodded

"Please...Forgive me, but those are my reasons, I know they might be stupid, but they are mine." Peeta shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. He remembered when she had cut it a few days ago.

"Fine." he said nodding, feeling numb. Katniss looked at him, an unreadable expression on her face. "If that's what you want, fine. But this is over for good then because I'm really not coming back to District 12." he was talking like his mother. Angry, bitter, and mad about a failed love.

"But I don't want to end things badly Peeta..."she said, taking his hand and squeezing lightly. He didn't return the pressure.

"Hey, you settled a couple of rules Katniss, I should be able to do the same, right?" he let go of her hands. Katniss felt her knees weakened.

This was the opposite of what she had expected. But she had been selfish, because she had expected what it was convenient to her and an understanding Peeta, not this angry boy, that had replaced his kind eyes with a stony stare. And then she realized how much she had hurt them both.

He took a step back and crossed his arms over his chest, eyes casted down. Katniss started to regret everything. But the damage was done. She felt the stupid and childish, so childish desire to yell 'It was a joke' but she was stupid, not cruel.

"I should go, so you can finish packing." she said, looking at him, her voice a whisper. He looked at her for the last time. He wanted to kiss her for the last time and he knew she wanted that too, but right now it didn't felt right. Probably the kiss when they were alone earlier had been the last .He felt a new wave of tears to think about that.

He moved to open the door and she stepped outside.

That would be the last time they would see each other in five years, when Peeta heard about the school lab's explosion.

* * *

_So...dundundun._

_This is coming to an last chapter it's almost done._

_Thanks for the reviews and the favorites and follows._

_See you next time or maybe you want to follow me on tumbrl I'm annthetropicalfish._

_Bye!_

_Mari_


	11. Chapter 11

_It's the end! Thanks a million to __**Thynerdgurl**__ for her beta time. Not so long AN at the end._

* * *

Katniss closed her computer with a sigh. She was already late with the essays she had to look at, but Prim's e-mails were always a nice distraction from everything.

"There's someone for you at the door." her mom said, ready to leave "I'll be back in the morning, call me if you need anything."

Katniss nodded and lifted herself out of the bed. She put on her old Panthers hoodie and made her way to the living room. She heard her mom leave and sighed with relieved. Tonight she would have noodle soup and then she would watch a crappy movie on the TV.

Her plans crumbled when she saw Peeta standing in her living room.

He looked taller and broader, his hair was longer than she remembered and golden stubble covered his jaw. He looked really tired.

"Hi." she said, dum-founded. He looked at her and nodded, not trusting his voice. They were still drinking each other in, she looked tiny in the oversized hoodie and her hair was not in its usual braid, but loose on her back. Her right temple and a small part of her jaw were dotted with little burns and tiny scars, as if glass had found its way into her skin. Peeta shivered at the thought.

"The labs exploded and you were there." he said, his voice still scratchy. Katniss cringed but nodded.

"When did you get back?" She asked when the silence was unbearable. Peeta took a step forward.

"A few hours ago, I'm leaving in a few hours too. I had to see if you were okay, with my own eyes." he said, looking at her intensely, his voice breaking a bit. He cleared his throat. She gulped and nodded.

"Thank you Peeta, for taking all that trouble." she whispered, feeling tears on the back of her throat. He nodded, still looking at her, as if she would vanish from sight , as if fire would consume her right there on the spot.

"You were on the hospital. Prim said you almost died." his voice faltered a bit again and he took another step forward. Katniss looked at the floor and nodded.

"Yeah, my lungs were bad but my arm and the right side of my body got the worse part." she said and Peeta noticed that from the long sleeves of her hoodie he could see the white bandage.

"I'm glad you didn't die." Peeta said, feeling like a fool for saying the most inappropriate words. But there were also his more sincere. Katniss smiled and nodded, still not believing that he was there, standing in her living room, after five years.

"I was on a trip. I left for almost three months and they couldn't find me, I should have come sooner." he said after another silence, feeling the need to tell her. She smiled a bit and nodded.

"It's okay Peeta." she said. He nodded.

"I should go." he whispered. He looked at her one last time and turned around opening the door.

"I was right." she blurted and he turned around again to look at her with a confused face. His hand still on the ajar door "I mean, when we broke up. You became an artist and you travelled the world. You did great things and I'm sure that you will keep doing them."

Her words were soft and a small smile was dancing on her lips and he knew she didn't regret the decision she took all those years ago. She still wanted what was best for him and he had to recognize she was right. He was an artist, he had traveled the world, he had done what he wanted to do in less than four years and maybe she was right, maybe if he would have something to tied him down, he wouldn't have done what he had accomplish.

But she wasn't with him at the end of the day.

"Katniss..." he said, but was interrupted by a knock on the door and the feel of it being opened.

Thom stood there with a brown bag and a confused face.

"Hey Peeta." he said, his voice grave. He looked at Katniss and lifted the bag "I brought the noodle soup. Should I go to get some more?" he asked, looking very uncomfortable.

Peeta cleared his throat and shook his head quickly.

"No Thom, I'm leaving. I just stopped by to say hello to Katniss, I'm leaving in a couple of hours." he said quickly, stepping outside "It was good to see you Katniss." he said to Katniss and she smiled sadly. Peeta clapped Thom on the back

"Good to see you too, man."

And just like that, he was out of her life again. He almost ran to his dad's car and drove to the bakery, but he had to stop in the middle of the way, because the tears were blurring his vision in a dangerous way.

* * *

Peeta arrived at his department after a warm greeting from Flavius, the doorman.

His loft had the kitchen, the living room and the dining room downstairs, along with his study, which took all over the place. It was full of canvases, jars with brushes, pencils and a big table for drawing. The walls were blue and in some parts he had painted clouds.

He climbed the stairs to his bedroom and plopped himself down the bed, sighing. He closed his eyes and luckily sleep took over.

Two days after his arrival, he was drawing the last frame from his cartoon to send to the newspaper. He had spent the entire day hunched over the drawing table. It was a comic about an orange cat, Zap and a little girl Pat; it was very simple. It had started as a doodle but an important newspaper owner had seen it and his daughter loved it, so Peeta from day to night was a cartoonist.

He stretched and took his glasses, looking at his cartoon when the bell rang.

"Surprise!" the voice of Annie, Finnick and Johanna made him smile.

"It's pizza and Scrabble time, Blondie." Johanna yelled and Peeta laughed

"Come on up." he said and in a few minutes his three friends were knocking on his door.

"Hey Peet." Annie said and hugged and kissed his cheek tenderly. Johanna patted his head with a hand, while the other shook the Scrabble box. Finnick was carrying two pizza boxes and butthead him on the shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Annie asked, eyeing him with worry and Peeta smiled tiredly.

"Yes, Annie, I'm fine." he answered, happy to have them in this moment.

Finnick was pulling plates and glasses and in no time they were eating.

"So she's dating now." Finnick said, chewing his pizza and Peeta nodded, swallowing his bite.

"Brainless." Johanna said with a grimace and Peeta, after years still had the need to defend her.

"She's not brainless Johanna, it's not like we were dating. I just wanted to see her and I arrived when Thom brought her noodle soup." he said, tiredly.

"But it doesn't mean that there are dating." Annie said, trying to cheer him up.

"Prim mentioned they dated so…" he said, shrugging and Johanna shook her head.

"Peet, you should try to get over her. We've been a million time over this, you both are in a different place, so maybe you…" Peeta cut her off.

"I know Johanna, I know, I just can't. I tried, okay? I dated, I had one night stands, I even traveled for months, but she's…she's everywhere. It's like there's a tiny Katniss Everdeen that lives inside of my brain that keeps telling me that there's no way in hell I'm going to get over her." he yelled and Finnick, Annie and Johanna looked at him with a pained expression.

"Sorry." he said and Annie patted his hand.

"It's okay Peet, Finnick would be the same way if I would break up with him." she said and Finnick eyes opened wide.

"Are you trying to say something?" he asked.

"No, silly, just trying to cheer up a friend." she said, kissing Finnick on the lips lightly.

Peeta and Johanna laughed and luckily Katniss' topic was dropped.

They started playing Scrabble after the pizzas. It was a silly tradition that had stuck with them when they finished college. Twice a month they would gather to play a not so friendly Scrabble match.

"Fellythone it's not a word Finn." Johanna yelled at Finnick and he snorted.

"Shut up, sapito." he said, smirking.

"It's a Spanish word." she yelled and Peeta and Annie roared with laughter.

The doorbell rang again and Peeta stood up to pick up.

"Yes?" he asked, trying to listen over the laughter and Finnick and Johanna bickering.

"Hi Peeta, is Flavius, there's a girl for you downstairs." he said.

"Oh, yeah, I'll be downstairs in a minute." he said

"I have to go downstairs for a minute to hand this." he yelled over the noise and Annie nodded. Finnick and Johanna were arguing over the word.

He put on a sweatshirt and grabbed the painting.

When the elevator's door opened he shivered when the cold air hit his legs. He was with running shorts, because the heat on his house was always bad regulated and most of the time the place felt like an oven from the bakery.

He searched for the newspaper lady but he froze and not because of the cold.

Katniss was looking at the painting he had given to the building when he had moved. Flavius saw Peeta's demeanor changed and cleared his throat.

Katniss turned around and her eyes fell on Peeta. She was wearing a green woolen hat and her cheeks were red from the cold. Her black coat was dusted with a bit of snow. Her hair was loose on her back and part of the hat and scarf covered the scars on her jaw.

"Hi." she said, looking at him with a small smile. He stood with his mouth open, probably feeling the same way Katniss felt when she saw him standing on her house.

"Peeta." a high pitch voice called him and he shook his head, watching Effie Trinket, Plutarch secretary walked into the lobby. He walked towards the door.

"Hi." he greeted Katniss "Could you wait for me, please?" he asked and she nodded.

"Effie, hi." he said. Her blonde hair perfectly curly and she was dressed like a pink bubblegum.

"Dear, Plutarch sent me to fetch the paintings." she said, eyeing Katniss with a raised eyebrow. Peeta blushed and handed it to Effie. She looked at him and then at Katniss.

"Umm, yeah, Effie, this is Katniss." he introduced them, avoiding to put on a label on the link he had with Katniss.

"A pleasure." Katniss said politely, shaking Effie's hand.

"Dear, your face is familiar…you have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. And that skin, what cream do you use?" Effie said and Katniss looked alarmed.

"Uhmm, nothing, no creams." she said and moved the hat a bit lower to hide her scars. Effie narrowed her eyes.

"Peeta, isn't she…" Effie asked but Peeta cut her quickly.

"Yep. Anything else Effie? Sorry to be rude, but I'm freezing." he motioned to his legs full of goose bumps and his feet covered with only ankle socks. Effie shook his head.

"No dear." she said and after kissing Katniss and Peeta with two kisses in each cheek she left.

"I'm sorry I came uninvited, but I wanted to talk to you." she said, when Effie left and Peeta opened his mouth to speak.

"Let's go upstairs, I'm with some friends." he said, shivering.

"Oh, I don't want to intrude, I can stop by tomorrow." she said taking a step back "I'm staying with Prim, so…" but Peeta shook his head.

"Come on up." he said, smiling, his teeth clashing from the cold. "I'm freezing, please." he asked again smiling and Katniss nodded, not so sure, and they stepped on the elevator. And the ride to the twelfth floor was one of the most awkward that Peeta had to bear. He could only hear Katniss taking off her gloves, the scarf and the gloves.

He opened the door and let Katniss stepped in. A heavy silence fell on the room and Katniss blushed.

"Guys, she's Katniss, Katniss, meet Finn, Annie and Jo." he introduced them. The three of them were looking at Katniss with a shocked expression but luckily Annie was the first one to react.

"Hi Katniss." she said, standing up. She hugged her quickly and smiled at her "It's so nice to finally get to know you." she said and Katniss smiled. Finnick stood up and shook Katniss hand with a smile.

"Hey Katniss, so you're real, I always thought that Peet had made up that beautiful girl from the painting." he said, chuckling. Katniss frowned and Annie elbowed him on the ribs.

"It's nice to meet you too Annie, Finnick." Katniss said, blushing under Johanna stare.

Peeta looked for a chair and put right next to his.

"Be nice." he whispered to Johanna.

"Here, let me get your things." he offered and Katniss gave him her backpack and her coat, along with the hat and the scarf. She was wearing a red homemade sweater and her cheeks were still red. She sat with her hand folded in her lap.

"So, you're Katniss." Johanna said with a stony stare.

"And you must be Johanna." Katniss answered, nodding a bit. She felt Johanna's eyes on her temple and she shifted nervously on her chair.

"Yeah." Johanna said. Peeta left Katniss' things on the couch and joined them again.

"Do you want some pizza? I could reheat you a slice if you want." he asked Katniss but she shook her head.

"No, that's okay." she said, trying to ignore the fact that she was being studied as if she was a three headed puppy by Johanna.

"What brings you here?" Annie asked curiously.

"I came for a visit. My sister Prim is in Med School, so just visits." she answered looking at Peeta briefly before looked at Annie again.

"How long are you staying?" Finnick asked, while Peeta rearranged the board to play.

"Just a few days." Katniss answered, feeling Peeta's warm body next to hers.

"You play, right?" he asked and Katniss nodded, smiling a bit, glad that her interrogation had ended.

At first it was tense and Johanna wrote a few offensive words towards Katniss but luckily Finnick and Annie managed to save the situation.

"Queue." Katniss said, putting the letters and the rest groaned. She smiled broadly and Peeta whistled, patting her on her shoulder.

"Well done Everdeen, well done." he said, smiling and Katniss looked at him, smiling as well.

"Well, that was unexpected." Johanna said, stretching "I guess that's how you play, you're quiet but you strike when nobody expects it."

The room felt quiet and Katniss shifted on her seat nervously.

"Jo." Annie said in a warning tone, looking at her.

"What? I was making a comment about her Scrabble techniques." Johanna said, looking at Katniss "she moves slowly, she looks, she strikes, even if it is a bit of a dirty play."

Katniss looked at her with a quiet expression and shrugged a bit.

"This isn't about Scrabble anymore, right?" whispered Finnick in Annie's ear and she nodded.

"I'm sorry if you don't like the way I play Scrabble." Katniss said, breathing heavily.

"As a matter of fact, I think I hate the way you play Scrabble. You had a great letter and you wasted on a short word, even if you won, you wasted it." Johanna yelled.

"I did what I thought it was the best." Katniss yelled as well.

"Please, stop, stop it now." Peeta yelled too, standing up. They all looked at him. It was weird to hear Peeta Mellark's raised voice. He looked at Johanna, angry and she shrugged.

"I think we should go." Annie said, putting the letters on the bag. Finnick nodded, but Katniss rose quickly.

"No, please, I should go. I came here, I didn't know I would interrupt you." she said, her hands shaking. Finnick rose as well and patted Katniss on the shoulder.

"Don't worry Katniss, we have to go anyway." he said, smiling. Peeta was still looking at Johanna with a stony expression.

They gathered their things quickly and left. Annie and Finnick hugged Katniss, telling her that they would love to see her again with a wink. Johanna left without a word.

"I'm sorry Peeta, I had no right to came here, and I should have told you, that I was coming, but Prim…" Katniss said very quickly as soon as Peeta closed the door, but he held a hand to stop her and shook his head.

"Please, stop." he said, putting the pizza boxes on the trash can. He was tense, she could see that. Katniss helped him in silence, swallowing the tears that wanted to come out.

"Why are you here?" Peeta asked when the table was clear. Katniss had her hands clasped together.

"I want to talk to you. You left so quickly that the next day when I went to the bakery your dad said that you had already left." she explained and Peeta nodded but the words didn't come and he raised his eyebrows, waiting for an answer, but her cell phone rang. She stood up and picked it up from the couch.

"Hey Little Duck." he heard her soft voice and smiled at Prim's nickname. Her back was to him and he couldn't help to looked at her. She looked beautiful with her sweater on.

"Oh…but Prim." her voice sounded annoyed. He was surprised when Katniss gave him the cell phone.

"Prim, hello!" he said and Prim's happy voice greeted him from the other side.

"Hey Peeta, listen, my roommate Rue had a surprise visit from her little sisters and we don't have much space." Peeta smiled at Prim's words "I'm sorry, but could you have Katniss?"

"Of course Prim, not a problem." he said and after a few words he hung up. Katniss was blushing.

"My little sister finesse is a bit rough around the edges." Katniss said, waving at the cell phone over the table and Peeta chuckled, shaking his head.

"It seems that everything is playing just like she wanted." Peeta said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Tea?" he offered after the silence and Katniss nodded. Peeta filled the kettle and he could see from the corner of his eyes at Katniss looking at him. He smiled and Katniss looked at her hands.

"I'm sorry about the tense moment with Johanna, she's kind of protective." he said, taking two cups.

"It's okay, I understand." she said, shrugging. Peeta turned around again to grab the tea. The silence was awkward and he absolutely hated it.

"Listen, I'm sorry that I left in such a rush. But I just needed to see you." he said, with his back still to her, waiting for the water to boil.

"It's okay, it was so sudden that I couldn't even begin to think what to say to you." she said in a whisper. The kettle whistled and Peeta poured the water into the cups.

"Here you go." he said, handing her the cup and the sugar bowl. She added two spoonfuls.

"Still no sugar in your tea?" she asked smiling and Peeta smiled back, nodding. A silence fell between them again while they zipped theirs teas.

"I traveled for four months and when I arrived I had 15 messages from my dad, Prim and Delly. The last one it was from Prim and she said you were no longer on a coma and when I looked at the date…Almost four months had passed." he ran a hand through his face and looked at Katniss.

"And I just lost it. I called Prim and asked what happened and she explained and just took the first train home." he looked tired. Katniss sighed and looked at him and tried to speak a few times.

"How did it happen?" Peeta asked, carefully. Katniss took a deep breath and looked at her cup between her hands.

"The lab's burners and needle valves were old. Mrs. Purnia asked several times to replace them, but the budget wouldn't allow it, so we always left the windows open." Katniss sighed and took a strand of hair behind her ear "but one of the main pipes that supplies all the burners wasn't closed properly. Can you imagine it? During the entire weekend the gas was leaking and the window was closed. I closed it on Friday because I was cold. And when I arrived on Monday I couldn't smell anything because I had a cold and my nose was stuffy and I can't remember what happened next. All I know is that I saved my eyes because I covered them with my arm." her voice was thick with tears. She closed her eyes for a second and shook her head.

"So, somebody made a shitty lag and I had a stuffy nose. Shit happens I guess." she said, swallowing the lump in her throat. Peeta's eyes were wet, but there were no tears.

"I'm so sorry." he said with a thick voice, feeling powerless, feeling the need to hug this girl that had been wrapped in fire and never let her go.

Katniss looked at him and Peeta smiled weakly at her. He grabbed her hand, gave it a gentle squeeze and let go of it quickly.

He scratched the stubble on his chin and Katniss smiled sheepishly, looking at the table.

"Maybe we can call it a night?" he suggested and Katniss nodded.

"I don't have any clothes." she said, blushing a bit and Peeta stood up.

"Don't worry, I had a few things, you'll sleep in my bed." he said, climbing the stairs noisily.

"No! Please I'll take the couch." she said, hearing the drawers being opened and closed. He climbed down the stairs and handed her a pair of flannel pants and an old Panthers t-shirt.

"Don't you even try to tell me that again! You'll have my bed and end of the story" he said, stubbornly. Katniss opened her mouth but he lifts his index finger at her with a frown. Katniss smiled shyly.

"I bought a toothbrush today, I have to change mine, but use it." he said, leading her upstairs. She entered the bathroom to change while Peeta changed the sheets.

Katniss stepped out the bathroom, the clothes swimming on her petite body and Peeta's air left his lungs. He coughed a bit and showed the bed with his hand to Katniss.

"So, here it is the bed, with pillows…ummh, it's quite easy to use." he said, blushing and Katniss laughed.

"Yeah, that's what they say about beds and pillows." she said, lying down. Peeta looked at her arm full of scars while she tucked herself in the bed.

"Okay, if you need anything I'll downstairs." he said, leaving.

"Thanks Peeta." she called and Peeta nodded.

He knew that sleep would be impossible that night. He still couldn't believe that Katniss was sleeping on his bed. He tossed and turned on the couch, but it was no use.

Finally, he lost the battle against the couch. He looked at his room, where Katniss was sleeping. He sighed and walked slowly to the stairs.

He climbed the steps slowly, trying to be quiet. He stepped into the room and he saw her with her back to him, he took two small steps and she turned around. It was dark, everything was tainted with the night's blue light, but he could still see her.

She looked at him with a small frown and a ghost of a smile and slowly, she raised the covers. He took the invitation without a second thought.

She was there, with him. He hugged her and she placed her head on his chest, sighing. He ran a hand though her hair. He closed his eyes freezing the moment.

Without a word, they fell asleep within minutes.

* * *

He was on his back, sleeping. His right hand was under the pillow and the other was over his eyes, trying to block the soft light from the window's curtain he had forgotten to close last night. He sighed with his eyes still closed and then he heard a giggle. He frowned and the previous night events came rushing to his mind.

He opened his eyes slowly and found Katniss sitting cross legged reading one of his books that gather all of his cartoons. She giggled again and he smiled.

"Hey." he said and Katniss jumped a bit. She closed the book and smiled sheepishly.

"Hello." she answered back, looking at him. Her hair was loose and his t-shirt was so big on her that it shown a bit of her naked shoulder. She lift the book and smiled "You're funny" she said, smiling. Peeta chuckled and turned on his back first, he stretched and then he lay on his side to face her.

"Not really. Those are really silly jokes." he said, his voice still raspy from sleep. The clock next to her said it was 8 in the morning.

"Well, the joke about Oliva, the olive and the James Bond's martini was pretty good." she said, laughing a bit. Peeta laughed at her laugh and shrugged.

"If you say so." he said, yawning.

"Can I see that book?" she asked shyly, pointing at a big book over the dresser at the end of the bed. It was a book that Johanna had given him that gathered all of his paintings. Peeta cleared his throat and nodded, feeling a bit nervous. Katniss was about to see all of his works and somehow that showed more of him that anything else.

He heard the bed's soft noise, Katniss footsteps and then the bed sank a bit when Katniss returned. He looked at her face every time she turned the pages, but the warm bed and Katniss' presence lulled him to sleep again. When he closed his eyes, Katniss was staring at the double page that had a meadow full of dandelions.

"Are you okay?" Peeta asked when he saw her eyes fill with tears. She nodded and swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. She coughed a few times and cleared her throat.

"When I left ICU I had to lay on my left, because my right side and part of my back were still healing. On the room's wall there was this painting, it was a meadow full of dandelions and on the right corner, above, was your signature. Just Peeta. With a line underneath the name. Simple. I stared at the painting for hours and sometimes at night when I couldn't sleep I would tuned on the light to look at it." she said, smiling sadly at the memory. Peeta hoisted himself up, leaned on his elbow and took her hand.

"I'm glad I could help, even if I wasn't there." he said running his thumb over the burned skin on her hand.

"Does it hurt?" he asked in a whisper and Katniss shook her head.

"Not anymore. It's all scar tissue now, so I don't have feeling." she said. Peeta lift his hand hesitantly and placed on her arm, brushing it slowly. Katniss was looking at him with her brow knitted in concentration.

"I was so scared to lose you." he said, shaking his head, looking at her arm. Katniss placed a hand over his and Peeta looked at her. She smiled at him and he leaned his forehead over their joined hands.

Katniss ran her hand over his hair slowly and Peeta sighed contently.

"I'm okay now." Katniss said and Peeta lift his head, smiling. His eyes were a bit moist and Katniss took the sheet and dried them with a small smile. Peeta laughed, running a hand through his eyes.

"Sorry." he said sheepishly and cleared his throat "I'll take a shower and I'll make us some breakfast, sounds good to you?" he asked, stretching and Katniss nodded.

A few minutes later Peeta was walking down the stairs and saw Katniss looking through his drawing table, smiling at his glasses on her hand.

"Hey." he said, running a hand through his head. Katniss jumped and left the glasses quickly on the desk, blushing. She was wearing a green t-shirt and her jeans. She was barefoot and Peeta felt his stomach clench in a familiar way when he thought about the intimate of the scene.

"You wear glasses." she said and Peeta laughed, nodding.

"I'm not getting any younger." he said smiling. Katniss chuckled and pointed at a Tupperware on the table.

"Mrs. Venia came by when you were showering. She said she missed you and she hopes you enjoy this." she said and Peeta chuckled and took the recipient from her hands.

"She always gives me a bit of this. It is pumpkin pie, it is really good." he said, opening the fridge. He put the Tupper and took the milk, the strawberry jam and the butter out off the fridge and began prepping breakfast.

"Can I ask you something?" Katniss' voice took him from his task. She was looking at him and he smiled.

"Shoot." he said, putting the bread on the toaster.

"Why did Finnick and now Mrs. Venia called me the girl from the painting?" Peeta froze and turned around slowly. He placed the kettle on the stove and ran a hand through his hair.

"Promise that you won't freak out." he asked and Katniss frowned.

"I always freak out." she said and Peeta chuckled.

"Well, when I won the scholarship I submitted I painting with your face…well your shoulder and your profile and now you must think I'm a total freak." he said, blushing. He turned around and took the toasted bread and poured the teas into the cups. Katniss laughed sheepishly.

"I don't think that you're a freak." Katniss said softly. Peeta placed the cups on the table and Katniss grabbed the cups.

"I was kind of still getting over you, so all of my teenage angst was poured into that painting." he said and Katniss chuckled. They sat across from each other on the table's sides.

"I would like to see it." she said, adding milk on her tea. Peeta shook his head, smiling.

"Really?" he said and Katniss nodded, smiling.

"Of course, I want to know why I'm the girl on the painting." she said and Peeta shrugged, smiling.

"Maybe we could go to the gallery later." he said and Katniss froze.

"It's in a gallery?" she asked, holding her cup in midair and Peeta nodded.

"Cinna bought it." he explained and gave her a toast with butter and jam. She took with a soft thank you. She bit it and moaned.

"This is really good." she said and Peeta smiled.

"I made it, the jam I mean." he said beaming and Katniss laughed at the image of Peeta stirring a big pan of strawberries.

"Well, congrats to you Mellark." she said and Peeta smiled, looking at her and how her body shook with laughter. Peeta zipped his tea and looked at her.

He wanted this. He wanted to be in her life again, he wanted to have breakfast with her every day, he wanted everything with her, but he still didn't know why Katniss was in his apartment, he didn't know why she had travel all those miles, leaving Thom in District 12. Sweet Heavens, Katniss Everdeen could be an impossible riddle. Frustration beat him with force. He had forgotten about Katniss dating Thom.

When she finished the toast he cleared his throat and Katniss looked at him smiling.

"Thanks for breakfast and everything." Katniss said and Peeta shook his head. A silence fell between them and Peeta rose from his chair and cleared his throat again, scratching the stubble on his chin. Katniss looked at her cup, sighing.

"Listen Katniss, I need to know why you are here, I don't know if Thom knows you're here…" he said, his heart pounding noisily on his ears and Katniss lift her head.

"What about Thom? Of course he knows I'm here." she said, frowning. Peeta sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I don't know what kind of relationship you have with Thom, but I doubt it that he would like that his girlfriend…" he said and Katniss rose from her chair, breathing heavily.

"Thom broke up with me a year ago." she said, narrowing her eyes and her voice cracked a bit "I'm here because I wanted to see you; I'm here because I'm trying to gather enough courage to ask you a second chance Peeta, that's why I'm here." she practically yelled at him.

Peeta looked at her with his mouth open. Katniss was there, asking for a second chance and yet he couldn't say a word.

"I get it, I was the one that broke everything, but I don't regret it because you became everything that you wanted since you were a child." she said, looking at her hands.

"You took that decision without asking me." Peeta said walking back and forth through his kitchen "You have no idea Katniss, how much it hurt."

"Do you think it was easy for me?" she asked and Peeta sighed in frustration.

"Katniss, I'm not saying it was easy for any of us." he said, holding the back of a chair "You know I tried to hate you, because you were right. Perhaps I would have never applied for the scholarship and perhaps things wouldn't have turned out the way they did, but we would have been together and that's was important to me."

Katniss sighed and sat down again.

"You have no idea how many times I wanted to call you to try to take back my words, you were always on my mind and everything reminded me of you. Every little thing. I was a mess, all I did was work and study, Prim and my mom were worried, even Haymitch talked to me." she chuckled. Peeta smiled, shaking his head.

"What about Thom?" he asked, failing miserably at trying to not sound jealous. Katniss sighed and looked at him.

"We worked together at school. And when he heard that we had broken up he kept his distance for exactly nine months." she laughed at the memory "He said that if in that time a life could be developed then a break up could be get over with, so nine months after I broke up with you he started to talk to me and eventually we dated." she explained.

"And why did you break up?" Peeta asked and Katniss blushed.

"He asked to move in with him and I just couldn't." she said and Peeta nodded and the question that was burning him slide from his mouth.

"Did you love him?" he asked and he tried to mask the pain when she nodded.

"Yes. But I couldn't give him what he wanted." she answered. Peeta nodded and sat down again. His head felt heavy with information and it was too much. He dropped his head to the table, sighing.

"Maybe we could take a walk, I could take to the gallery." he said, his voice muffled by the table.

"Okay." Katniss agreed and Peeta jumped from his chair, hoping that the cold air would help to clear his mind. Katniss seem to understand this too. She was quiet though the entire walk, while Peeta walked at her side, throwing stolen glances he though she couldn't see.

* * *

"Peeta." a soft voice greeted him when he opened the gallery door. Cinna was walking towards them. He was really tall, his gold eyeliner stood up on his dark brown skin. He was wearing black jeans and a dark blue woolen sweater. He was really handsome and Katniss blushed a bit at his gaze.

"You're back." he said shaking Peeta's hand.

"Yeah, thanks for the recommendations by the way, they were great" Peeta said smiling and turned to Katniss, taking of his woolen hat "Cinna, she's…"

"Katniss." Cinna finished and shook Katniss' hand. Katniss frowned; she didn't remember introduced herself. Cinna laughed "You're the girl in the painting."

"So they said." Katniss nodded, blushing and Cinna smiled.

"How did you feel when you saw yourself in that painting?" Cinna asked, smiling and Peeta blushed.

"She's going to see it now." Peeta said, scratching his chin. Cinna looked amazed but hid it gracefully.

"Well, go ahead then." he said, smiling and winking at Katniss. She smiled back timidly.

Peeta leaded Katniss though the gallery, stopping to look some of the painting on the walls so Katniss could ask him about the author or the date or the story behind the painting. She would listen eagerly, her eyes never leaving the world that was framed and hanging on the wall.

"And here it is why they call you the girl on the painting." Peeta said and Katniss looked at her portrait, because it was her, that was no denying, but that girl looked beautiful.

She was looking over her naked shoulder, but her eyes were closed and she had a small smile on her lips, as if she knew some secret or something. The light felt perfectly on her smooth skin and a braid could barely be seen over her other shoulder. She looked beautiful and Katniss felt tears on her eyes.

"That's how you used to see me?" she asked, looking at the painting

"Yes. I still do Katniss." he answered shoving his hands on his coat pockets.

"I'm not that girl anymore, the fire changed me." she said and a tear fell on her cheek. Peeta felt a lump on his throat. He took her hand and she squeezed it, crying silently. She turned around and his arms hugged her tightly. She hid her face on his neck, sobbing.

"I'm sorry Peeta, I'm so sorry for hurting you." she said with a thick voice, looking at him. "I thought it was for the best…" he shook his head. He would not have this conversation again. He grabbed his scarf and just like she had done that morning, he wiped her tears away.

"Did you mean that? I mean about the second chance." he asked and Katniss nodded.

"Yes." she said, looking at him on the eyes. Peeta smiled and kissed her slow and tenderly on the lips.

"You know, it will be harder for you to get rid of me this time." Peeta teased, leaning his forehead on her and Katniss chuckled.

"I'm not going anywhere Peeta." she said whit such sincerity that Peeta felt could swear his heart would burst from happiness.

And he hugged her, feeling that now, things where on their right place.

"Good." he said, smiling happily. Katniss smiled and wiped her eyes with her sleeve, smiling sheepishly. He kissed her temple.

They walked away from the painting, holding each other hands.

* * *

That night she stayed with him. The next day she called Prim and told her that she would be staying with Peeta and a week after she called her mom to ask her if she could send her a bag with most of her clothes.

When Peeta moved back to District 12 to take over the bakery he asked her to move in with him and of course she said yes.

They had a beautiful and quiet life and they were together which is what really matters, that's what Peeta always mumbled before bed, enveloping her in his strong arms and she would smiled because she felt safe, she was with him and she was staying with him. Always.

* * *

_So, this was my first story in English, thanks to those that stay and review and favorited and followed, it means a lot to me, really._

_Points to your house if you can point two quotes from two movies :)_

_I'm writing another THG story non AU kinda._

_If you want to, leave a review, I would love to know what are your thoughts on this._

_Until next time_

_Mari_ :)


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